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Australian Government launches examination into Workplace Sexual Harrassment

In response to growing social pressures driven by the #MeToo movement, the Australian Human Rights Commission has launched a year long  ‘’in-depth examination’’ of sexual harassment in the workplace.  The inquiry aims to determine the main drivers of sexual harassment in the workplace, and the use of technology and social media and its legal framework.

Sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins stated that the inquiry was a “huge step in the right direction” as “we need to continue to create a society where this kind of conduct is unthinkable and where sexual harassment at work is not something people simply have to put up with”. More importantly, the inquiry will provide employees, employers and all members of the public with an opportunity to participate in developing a solution to ensure Australian workplaces are safe and respectable for everyone”. [...]  READ MORE →

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What every employer MUST know for 1 July 2018

With the commencement of a new financial year, it brings with it important changes and new rates which will apply from 1 July 2018.

NEW! High Income Threshold (HIT)

With the HIT:

  • it increases on 1 July 2018 to $145,400
  • it impacts:
  • who can make a claim for unfair dismissal (for those not covered by a Modern Award or to whom an enterprise agreement does not apply)
  • the maximum amount of compensation payable in an unfair dismissal claim
  • those on a ‘guarantee of annual earnings’ (a Modern Award does not apply to an employee whenever this guarantee is in place provided it continues to meet the relevant legislative requirements)

NEW! Modern Award Increases

With Modern Awards (including enterprise awards):

  • minimum wages increase by 5% (starting on the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2018)
  • absorption of wage increases into over-award payments is permissible (subject to the terms of the relevant employment agreement and what other amounts are being absorbed into any annualised salary)
  • increases to the minimum wages of junior workers, apprentices, trainees, piece workers and employees on the supported wage system will occur
  • expense-related allowances in Modern Awards will increase as set out in the Modern Award (eg, by the applicable CPI index figure)
  • annualised salaries will need to be checked to ensure they can still properly absorb/include all relevant minimum Modern Award amounts and that they continue to meet the technical requirements of the relevant Modern Award

 

NEW! National Minimum Wage (NMW)

With the NMW:

  • this is applicable to employees to whom neither a Modern Award or enterprise agreement applies
  • the NMW increases by 5% to become $719.20 per week or $18.93 per hour
  • in addition:
  • special NMW rates apply to employees with disabilities, junior employees, apprentices, and those on training arrangements
  • the minimum casual loading remains unchanged at 25%

NEW! Impact on Enterprise Agreements

With enterprise agreements:

  • they must always meet or exceed the minimum wage of:
  • the relevant Modern Award (ie, the Modern Award that would have applied had the enterprise agreement not been in existence)
  • the NMW (ie, where a Modern Award would not apply even if the enterprise agreement was not in existence)
  • thus, pay rates in enterprise agreements may need to be increased (even if the enterprise agreement has its own wage increase regime)

NEW! The Sting

Be mindful that wage increases may have flow-on effects such as increasing:

  • the value of leave loading, penalty rates, overtime and superannuation contributions
  • the value of accrued leave entitlements
  • the cost of wage related expenses such as payroll tax and workers compensation premiums

NEW! Redundancy

The tax-free component of a genuine redundancy payment increases to be: [...]  READ MORE →