This week's top HR stories in brief

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A court has overturned a $160k compensation order for adverse action, finding an HR manager was justified in dismissing an absent employee who refused to attend an independent medical examination. K&L Gates partner Christa Lenard says it is a "good decision for employers who genuinely seek to manage the long-term absence of an employee lawfully".

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Employers are struggling to understand the changes to the whistleblower regime, Ashurst partner Vince Rogers says. It's a tricky space, and he warns inadvertent breaches are "inevitable".

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Coping with the volume of workplace change can be overwhelming, and employers must factor the 'change workload' into their overall planning, says Hetton Advisory founder Nigel Adams. Managing dependencies and conflicts can feel like "flying through an asteroid belt", so it's critical to remember that it's "practically impossible to overcommunicate during a major transformation".

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An organisation's approach to parental leave can provide a competitive advantage, and boost productivity, innovation, employer branding and retention. In a new webcast, Circle In co-founder Kate Pollard discusses best practices with regard to policies, support, and HR's role.

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Storytelling is the delivery mechanism lacking in most change projects as employers persist with ineffective 'push' strategies, says Anecdote managing director Mark Schenk. "We push the message, and when you push a human being they feel like it's being done to them, and so they resist," he says.

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The Fair Work Commission has criticised an HR manager for "erroneously elevating" allegations against a manager in a sacking that was "entirely disproportionate" to his performance. The HR manager's evidence was unconvincing, and established "an entirely inadequate foundation" for dismissal, and the employee was reinstated.

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Employer claims 'biased' FWC closed its mind towards arguments

The Fair Work Commission didn't become a "protagonist" when it aimed to vindicate its "theory" that an employer engaged in an elaborate sham to deprive workers of penalty rates, the Federal Court has found in rejecting an apprehended bias claim. more

FWC "must" make same-pay orders for labour hire workers: union

The Fair Work Commission has no choice but to make an order requiring labour hire workers be paid the same pay rates as their directly employed counterparts at a site, the Mining and Energy Union is arguing in the first 'same job, same pay' application. more

Webcast: Bargaining is back

Legislative reforms designed to resuscitate enterprise bargaining are doing just that. Understand what this means for your organisation by watching this HR Daily Premium webcast. more