Sydney, Australia – After 12 successful years as one of Sydney’s leading boutique law firms practicing in industrial relations and employment law, PCC Employment Lawyers is excited to announce its rebranding as Olexo Workplace Law.

In this newsletter we address the legislative changes under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth), amending the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) and Anti-Discrimination laws, enacted at the end of 2022, as part of the Albanese government’s election promises.

In this final edition for 2022, we discuss the recent legislative changes to the Fair Work Act and Anti-Discrimination laws, that the new Government has brought in as part of their election promises.

We are also joined again by Samantha Mangwana of Shine Lawyers, who shares her insights into the amendments to the Respect@Work bill.

The employment contract governs one of the most significant relationships in people’s lives being that between the employee and employer. When well drafted, the employment contract is beneficial for both the employer and the employee as, amongst other things, it provides clarity regarding the obligations of both parties.

Can misconduct on social media provide a valid reason for disciplinary action, including termination of employment?

An employment contract is an integral part of the employment relationship. Contracts can exist in a non-written form, however the purpose of a written contract is to define the terms of what is being agreed. In this first episode of our two part series, we discuss why contracts are important, and what we believe are the 9 critical terms that should be included.

In this episode of our podcast, we are honoured to be joined by Samantha Mangwana of Shine Lawyers. Samantha shares with the team some of her experiences from before, during and after the media focus of the #MeTooMovement, both in the U.K and locally here in Australia.

We discuss employer obligations and the impact and response to sexual harassment in the workplace; risk factors and hierarchal environments; and whether Non-Disclosure Agreements, and the possible passing of legislation in these cases to limit them, will be at the expense of victims.

In this podcast, we discuss the civil penalty provisions for corporations and directors for contraventions under the Fair Work Act, the functions of the Fair Work Ombudsman, and how employers may come under their radar. We also discuss where we see the vast majority of underpayments in respect of breaches of modern awards and the National Employment Standards, and key areas for employers to look at.