HR Daily http://www.hrdaily.com.au/index.php The National News Service for HR Professionals en-au Copyright HR Daily 2011 hourly 1 1970-01-01T00:00+00:00 HR Daily http://www.hrdaily.com.au/RDF/hrdaily_logo.gif http://www.hrdaily.com.au/ The National News Service for HR Professionals Off-site employee safety "not difficult or onerous" http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2556 Employers tend to overlook their health and safety obligations to employees who work from home or other off-site areas, but it is neither difficult nor onerous to take the necessary compliance steps, says employment lawyer Kristin Ramsey. HR Daily 2013-04-04T07:26:00+11:00 Audio recording is "best practice" in investigations http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2495 An expert investigator has outlined what HR professionals should consider when deciding whether to audio-record or take notes during workplace investigative interviews. HR Daily 2013-02-13T07:18:00+11:00 Flight attendant's reinstatement "not an attack" on grooming policies: Lawyer http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2490 Fair Work Australia's reinstatement of a Virgin flight attendant, who was sacked following a dispute over his hair length, should not discourage employers from enforcing grooming policies, says Hicksons partner Brad Swebeck. HR Daily 2013-02-11T07:10:00+11:00 An employee has tested positive to drugs. Now what? http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2449 How to manage an employee's positive drug test at work will depend on the circumstances and their role, but the first step should always be to re-test and confirm the result, says Mills Oakley associate Allison Grant. HR Daily 2012-12-10T07:04:00+11:00 Webcast: Drug and alcohol issues at work http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2448 Every HR and safety practitioner will potentially have to address drug and alcohol issues at work, but none should take action without a solid understanding of the legal landscape. In this presentation, Luke Connolly and Allison Grant, from Mills Oakley Lawyers, explain:When - and how - it is appropriate to conduct workplace drug tests;How to respond to incidents of drug and alcohol use at work;Drafting considerations for drug and alcohol policies; andLegal risks arising from workplace drug and alcohol management. HR Daily 2012-12-07T16:58:00+11:00 What should your social media policy include? http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2446 Before implementing or updating social media policies, employers should weigh up the risks of allowing various levels of use against the benefits, lawyer Fay Calderone has told an HRD Plus webcast. HR Daily 2012-12-06T07:18:00+11:00 Webcast: Developing a social media policy http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2445 Implementing a policy to regulate employees' social media behaviour puts employers in a "much better place" to prevent some of the damage that can occur, says employment lawyer Fay Calderone. In this webcast she covers: the "blurry" line between personal and work use of social media;vicarious liability, confidentiality and post-employment restraint issues;preliminary steps to take before developing a policy;what to include in your policy;including what not to do;implementing the policy; andconsiderations when enforcing policy breaches. HR Daily 2012-12-05T14:30:00+11:00 14 tips to mitigate end-of-year function risks http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2415 Speech time at the work Christmas party is a good opportunity for employers to pause the flow of alcohol and help prevent incidents arising from excessive consumption, says the Australian Drug Foundation's head of workplace services, Phillip Collins. HR Daily 2012-11-15T07:26:00+11:00 Webcast: Bullying and harassment - Are you really covered? http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2394 Are your policies and practices covering workplace bullying and harassment clear, comprehensive, and easy to follow? Are they capable of protecting your organisation from these risks? This webinar, presented by Ashurst lawyer Taboka Finn, explains:How bullying and harassment definitions are evolving;The potential impact of proposed laws in this area;Ways to handle online, social media and out-of-hours behaviour;OHS issues that HR professionals must be mindful of;Considerations for your anti-bullying and harassment policies; andLessons from recent case law. HR Daily 2012-10-30T15:30:00+11:00 "Fair treatment" the best prevention against discrimination claims http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2370 Solid policies, training and record-keeping are an employer's best defence against discrimination claims, say employment lawyers Brad Swebeck and Sarah Jones. HR Daily 2012-10-10T07:27:00+11:00 Webcast: Discrimination - Modern risks and challenges http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2369 The discrimination landscape is constantly evolving, posing new challenges for HR professionals. Watch this webcast to learn how to guard against modern risks and meet your obligations. In this presentation Brad Swebeck and Sarah Jones, from Hicksons Lawyers, explain contemporary discrimination risks arising from: the Fair Work Act's general protections provisions (and how to defend claims);provisions in the Work Health & Safety Act;use of social media, by both employees and employers;collecting and storing information covered by the Privacy Act;diversity targets and "reverse discrimination";application of workplace family-friendly practices; and more. HR Daily 2012-10-09T17:48:12+11:00 Caution urged when addressing drug issues http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2367 Social media and blurry work/life boundaries mean employers can learn a lot about employees' out-of-work activities, but they should be very cautious about addressing them, according to employment lawyers. HR Daily 2012-10-09T07:04:00+11:00 Responses clear employers of harassment liability http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2358 Two organisations have avoided being found vicariously liable for s-xual harassment committed by employees, after proving they had taken reasonable steps to prevent and manage the incidents. HR Daily 2012-10-02T07:27:00+10:00 New law will make employers "walk the talk" on gender equality http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2309 With the introduction of new gender equality legislation imminent, a workplace lawyer has warned employers to ensure they are "walking the talk" in terms of providing equal remuneration and access to flexible work arrangements. HR Daily 2012-08-21T07:22:00+10:00 "Small steps" help employees with cancer stay productive http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2308 With cancer rates set to increase over the next decade, there are sound business reasons for employers to put in place policies and practices to make their workplaces "cancer friendly", Cancer Council NSW's Gillian Batt says. HR Daily 2012-08-20T07:16:00+10:00 "No just joking" policies needed to target sexism http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2280 Employers that are serious about improving gender diversity should implement a "no just joking" policy to eliminate low-level sexism at work, a new report recommends. HR Daily 2012-07-26T07:23:00+10:00 Partner with IT to boost productivity http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2268 The productivity and collaboration benefits of mobile working are clear, but HR will need to work with other workplace departments to ensure they aren't inhibited by "bring your own device" issues, a briefing heard yesterday. HR Daily 2012-07-18T07:18:00+10:00 Out-dated policies pose liability risks for HR http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2240 HR professionals can be held personally liable for failing to implement procedures they may not have known existed, an employment lawyer has warned an HR Daily webinar. HR Daily 2012-06-25T07:19:00+10:00 People managers are the real HR managers http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2234 HR professionals need to consider three levels of integration to ensure people strategies are aligned to clear business outcomes, says experienced HR executive, Frank Kennedy. HR Daily 2012-06-18T07:24:00+10:00 Webcast: A (practical) dismissal checklist http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2189 Employers that don't tick all the right boxes prior to dismissing someone are more likely to face an unfair dismissal, adverse action or other claim, says Hicksons partner Brad Swebeck. In this HRD Plus presentation, he covers the factors to consider in relation to: the nature of your business;the circumstances of the proposed dismissal;policies, procedures and contractual issues;disciplinary, misconduct and performance-related dismissals;dismissal of injured workers;redundancies;remedies; andjurisdictional frameworks. HR Daily 2012-05-07T07:11:00+10:00 Worried about working-from-home issues? Trial it. http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2177 Running a pilot program to identify potential issues can help an organisation decide whether working from home arrangements should be made broadly available, says the manager of a team that now has two-thirds of its employees in home-based work, and much higher retention rates as a result. HR Daily 2012-04-23T07:22:00+10:00 Case study: What should you require of a home-based workspace? http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2176 A checklist of minimum safety and technical requirements for home-based work is essential to ensure the arrangements are trouble-free, and that employees understand their obligations and responsibilities. HR Daily 2012-04-23T07:15:00+10:00 Redundancies under Fair Work "a balancing act" http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2170 Organisations that are considering making redundancies must plan carefully, "being mindful of their competing obligations", to minimise the potential impact on employees and the business, says employment lawyer Natalie Spark. HR Daily 2012-04-17T07:25:00+10:00 Eight key actions help minimise psychological injury risks http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2165 Employers can significantly reduce the risk of a psychological injury claim if they practise eight important steps, say Hicksons employment lawyers Brad Swebeck and Stewart Cameron. HR Daily 2012-04-13T10:18:00+10:00 Webcast: Managing workplace psychological injury risks http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2163 Most HR policies fail to deal with modern bullying, discrimination and harassment challenges - including after-hours misconduct and misuse of social networks - says workplace lawyer Brad Swebeck. In this presentation, he and fellow Hicksons Lawyers partner Stewart Cameron outline: How to detect, prevent and manage bullying, discrimination and harassment;New psychological injury risks posed by misuse of social networks/media;What to include in bullying and harassment policies; Your rights and responsibilities when managing employees' out-of-hours behaviour; Appropriate responses to employee complaints;Lessons to be learned from successful claims brought against employers; How to defend spurious claims; How to avoid claims arising from performance management; and HR managers' liability for psychological injury under the existing and new OHS national framework. HR Daily 2012-04-13T10:10:00+10:00 Webcast: How to handle flexible work requests http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2088 Employees with children have a right to request flexible working arrangements. Do you know how to manage and respond to them? This presentation explains: Employers' Fair Work Act obligations, and how they interact with parental leave entitlements and anti-discrimination laws;The implications of failing to comply with the flexibility provisions, and how you can avoid them; andWhat to include in a flexible working arrangements policy, and how to communicate relevant procedures to employees. HR Daily 2012-02-15T14:16:00+11:00 Look beyond preventative steps for party problems http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2045 Will your organisation's rumour mill be in overdrive after the end-of-year celebration? Will there be photos on Facebook? HR's actions after a party are vital to minimising legal risks, says employment lawyer Lisa Berton. HR Daily 2011-12-06T16:48:40+11:00 Webcast: Managing workplace behaviour risks http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=2020 During the "silly season" HR professionals must be extra vigilant about managing workplace behaviour and culture issues. Watch this webinar to learn a framework for minimising your organisation's risks. People+Culture Strategies managing principal Joydeep Hor describes a compliance model for managing workplace behaviour risks, including sexual harassment and bullying. HR Daily 2011-11-24T08:07:00+11:00 Webcast: Protect your organisation from social media risks http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=1989 Every organisation is potentially at risk of damage - to its reputation, assets, morale and much more - from its employees' use of social media. In this presentation, employment lawyer Nick Noonan outlines: Employers' rights to monitor and regulate employees' social media use;Employees' obligations when using social media; What to include in a social media policy;Employer risks in using social media in the recruitment process; The interaction between social media and privacy laws; andRecent case law involving social media issues in the workplace. HR Daily 2011-10-28T12:55:00+11:00 Grievance processes less effective than training http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_selected.php?act=2&selkey=1984 Employers that want to avoid costly disputes over workplace issues should focus less on their formal grievance procedures and more on training managers to deal with conflict, says employee relations specialist Jonathan Hamberger. HR Daily 2011-10-26T08:18:00+11:00