Fair Work – have you ever called them?

Fair Work can be a bit of a minefield. What you thought was a simple enquiry had taken an hour and you’ve spoken to three different people. And you’ve been left with more questions than you started with. Don’t worry, you’re not alone!

The Fair Work Ombudsman says, “Make sure you know the rules and follow them. Don’t engage in unscrupulous practices and ensure that your actions don’t contravene the Act.”

In my experience, most employers genuinely want to do the right thing. When things go wrong, it’s either because they’ve been given the incorrect information, or it’s too hard to find the answer. Fair Work can impose fines and penalties on employers who do the wrong thing, but Fair Work refuse to be held accountable for giving definitively correct information in the first place. To me, this is frustratingly stupid!

How can you remain Fair Work Compliant?

Miss Efficiency is connected with Workforce Guardian. They offer a full range of services to enable us to act as an intermediary on your behalf and obtain expert advice and information. This will include things such as:

• How much do I need to pay my employees?
• Which Modern Award applies to my business?
• How can I ensure I comply with the 10 National Employment Standards (NES)?
• What are my employees’ Long Service Leave entitlements?
• What’s the difference between bullying and harassment?
• How can I make someone redundant?

We can submit questions such as these through Workforce Guardian’s HR Advice Online system and have written information back within two working days.

There are more comprehensive services offered by Workforce Guardian and you can subscribe directly. As a client of Miss Efficiency, you can receive an exclusive 50% rebate on your subscription. If you’d like to know more, please contact me.

There has been a lot of media about businesses targeted by Fair Work.

We’ve all heard about 7/11 and Dominos paying their employees way below Award. There have been instances where employers have paid their staff cash, only to insist that it be returned in some form. However, many employers are doing the wrong thing simply because they didn’t know any better. This is common with Awards – do you know what Award your employees are covered by? Could your work place be covered by more than one Award, depending on the role of the employee?

Payroll can be a complex part of your business. But with the right systems and advice in place, it doesn’t have to be.

Don’t become a casualty of our Fair Work system!