Personal leave – the dos and donts

What’s the difference between sick leave and personal/carer’s leave?  Well, personal/carer’s leave is a National Employment Standard entitlement which includes both sick leave (where an employee is not fit for work because of a personal illness or...

Are you up to date with the minimum wage?

Now is a good time to make sure you are meeting (or being paid!) your minimum pay obligations. Minimum wages will increase from 1 July 2016 as a result of the Fair Work Commission’s recent decision to award a minimum wage increase of 2.4%. This means that the federal...

Are enterprise agreements worth the trouble?

“We dont want to pay award rates, cant we just have an enterprise agreement?”  Well no, its not that simple.  An enterprise agreement (EA) is a legislatively sanctioned agreement between an employer and a group of employees which takes the place of an...

Contracting Traps for the Unwary

Thinking of engaging contractors or working as a contractor?  All contractors should operate through a company with an A.C.N. (Australian Company Number).  An A.B.N. (Australian Business Number) is not the same thing.  Sole traders, partnerships and most trusts are...

Christmas party handy hints

We have all been to Christmas parties which have become a bit messy as the afternoon/night has worn on.   Both employers and workers need to be aware of the significant risks involved in letting Christmas events get out of hand.  This can range from one or more...

What to expect in 2015?

Well, 2015 has well and truly started with a bang and woken us from our summer slumber!  So what is likely to lay ahead this year? The reality is that the (likely) election of a Labor government in Queensland is unlikely to impact directly on employment laws for...