Wollongong and the Illawarra employees will have the right to disconnect from 26 August 2025
The right to disconnect is a change to the Fair Work Act that grants Award-covered workers the legal right to refuse to monitor, read, or…
Articles
Minimum Wage and 12% Superannuation: Help for Businesses in Wollongong and the Illawarra
The Fair Work Commission has increased the National Minimum Wage, effective from 1 July 2025. The Superannuation Guarantee Legislation has increased the Superannuation entitlement to…
Employees’ Right to Disconnect for Small Business in Wollongong and the Illawarra
From August 26, 2025, small business employers, including those with award-covered employees, will be officially covered by the new Right to Disconnect laws.
What aged care and NDIS providers in Wollongong and the Illawarra should know are the difficult areas under the SCHADS Award
The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (better known as the SCHADS Award) sets the minimum entitlements for a wide range…
Contractors and Tax
Businesses should obtain expert taxation advice. Depending on how much work a contractor performs for one principal and the nature of the work, tax and…
Workers Compensation for Aged Care and Disability Services Contractors Wollongong and The Illawarra
Work Cover NSW applies a “results” test to determine whether a contractor (who does not provide services through a corporation) is an employee.
Contractors v Employees the new test who is an employee or contractor from August 2024
On 26 August 2024, constitutionally covered businesses used the whole-of-relationship test to determine whether a worker was a contractor or an employee.
What Wollongong & Illawarra Small Business Owners Need to Know About Wage Underpayment in 2025
From the 1st January 2025, deliberate underpayment of wages could result in owners and managers of a small business being sent to goal.
Terminating employee on worker’s compensation
The Fair Work Act 2009 makes it unlawful for an employer to dismiss an employee because he/she is temporarily absent due to illness or injury.
How to hire casual employees after the 26th August 2024
The Fair Work Act has tried to clarify who is casual and who is a part-time employee. Unfortunately, what has been legislated is still not…
Guide for the redundancy consultation process
It will not be a genuine redundancy if an employer does not comply with any relevant obligation to consult about the redundancy in a modern…
Changes to Independent Contractor Arrangement August 2024
All businesses in Wollongong and Illawarra that engage contractors should review and reconsider their current arrangements as a matter of priority following recent changes to…
NDIS Providers Wollongong – Workplace Investigation Process
A poor investigation may result in a Worker’s Compensation Claims or the Fair Work Commission may overturn the termination based on the Investigation Process.
What businesses in Wollongong and the Illawarra should do to protect their data?
During the 2020/21 financial year, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) recorded a 13% increase in cybercrime.
Builder fined $40,000 and $6211 in costs
The builder was fined $20,000 for each of three charges of failing to reduce the risk associated with a fall from height and a further…
Managing Underperformance: a guide for employers in Wollongong and the Illawarra
This guide will help employers in Wollongong and the Illawarra to manage underperformance.
New IR Laws 2024: what Wollongong and the Illawarra employers should know
The new laws change the Fair Work Act, including creating a criminal offence for intentional underpayments.
Performance Review Discussion Plan
This Performance Review Discussion Plan helps NDIS providers and SCHADS employers in Wollongong and Illawarra to prepare for a performance review.
Workplace Complaint Article
Workplace disputes are common in any working environment. Where there are allegations of possible misconduct or possible breaches of workplace laws, you must conduct an…
Why managers shouldn’t investigate within their business
Workplace investigations are to protect your business’ interests and the people who work in your business and should be done by a professional. There are…
Aftermath of a Workplace Investigation
Once a workplace investigation is complete, employers will need to continue managing the issue actively, with the help of their external investigator.
Flexible Working Arrangements
With our HR Support, employers can review their current policies and requests for flexible working arrangements to ensure they meet their obligations set by Fair…
Fixed Term Contracts
There are now strict limits on the use of fixed-term and maximum-term contracts. No fixed-term contract can be longer than two years.
Prohibiting Sexual Harassment at Work
Failing to have a workplace sexual harassment policy and training will result in hefty Fair Work Commission fines for small and medium businesses in Wollongong.
Annual Leave Policy Guide
If your business has a shut-down period, you may require your employees to take annual leave during this period of time if it is reasonable.
Correct Performance Management Policy
Without a performance management policy, it is difficult to prove that you have given your employee every available opportunity to improve their work.
When do employees need to disclose their medical history?
Both candidates and employers have legal obligations to consider how medical issues might impact the candidate’s ability to fulfil the requirements of the role.
Illawarra and South Coast Local Business Awards
We'd like to say a massive congratulations to all businesses who attended the Illawarra and South Coast Local Business Awards.
Working From Home – An Employers Guide
With the world predominantly returning to pre-Covid rules, employers are wondering about their obligations to continue a working from home scheme.
How to Manage Underpayment Claims
Recently, more and more businesses have been found out for underpayment and poor document management.
Workplace Discrimination & Harassment Policy
Employers now have a positive duty to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate discrimination and victimisation in the workplace.
HR Guide to Contracting Physiotherapists
The difference between a contractor and an employee is contractual and this is the document that courts will primarily use to distinguish between the two.
How to Manage Employee Misconduct
All employers should treat employee misconduct matters seriously, carry out proper investigations & give the employee the right to natural justice.
How to Prevent Employee Turnover
Up to 52% of employees say that their manager or organisation could have done something to prevent them leaving. View our guide to preventing employee…
Understanding the Minimum Wage Increase
The new minimum wage came into effect July 1, and nearly all minimum wage employees need to have their pay adjusted. Find out how this…
How to Provide Meaningful Managerial Feedback
Employees are hungry for feedback from their leaders and managers, desiring to gain insights that advance their abilities and future potential.
How to Draft an Admin Assistant Contract
An employment contract should include all of the basic, important terms of employment for a specific role. It is legally enforceable.
Difference Between Ordinary Pay and Award Pay
Ordinary pay is the rate of pay agreed upon between the employer and the employee but must not be less than the relevant rate of…
Group Certificates and Payment Summaries
At the end of previous financial years an employer would need to provide their employees with a ‘group certificate’. This is now called an ‘Income…
Changing Superannuation Laws in Australia
The 2022 Budget listed many changes to the Federal Government’s economic and fiscal policy. One of the most important is the change in superannuation rules.
Understanding Annual Leave
All employees (other than casuals) are entitled to annual leave benefits. This means that all businesses must have annual leave policies in place.
How to Draft a Physiotherapist Contract
A physiotherapist contract will include many provisions which are common to all employment contracts such as hours of work, place of work and termination.
How to Write a Job Description
The job description lists essential job functions and skills, knowledge, abilities and other characteristics needed for satisfactory performance of the job.
How to Onboard Remote Employees
Human Resources Guide to Onboarding Remote Employees: Despite the many benefits, actually getting new employees set-up for remote work can be difficult.
How to Calculate Overtime
How to calculate overtime - Overtime can be complex for small to medium sized businesses in Wollongong and the Illawarra unless you seek professional help.
Managing Working From Home
The pandemic has demonstrated to businesses in the Illawarra and Wollongong that working from home can be beneficial to both the employer and the employee.
What is Leave Loading?
Leave loading is a difficult concept and even harder to implement correctly. Here we unpack Modern Awards and leave loading rights for employees.
Understanding Covid-19 Workers Compensation
In this article, we explore Covid-19 workers compensation and its impact on small to medium sized businesses in Wollongong.
The Wollongong Guide to ABN and ACN Contractors
Wollongongs small and medium businesses guide to understanding ABN contractors and ACN contractors.
Parental Leave Wollongong Employers Guide
The new Paid Parental Leave Scheme will give a parent 18 weeks of pay after the birth or adoption of a child and two weeks…
Independent Contractor Agreements
Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Wollongong and the Illawarra now have certainty of who is an independent contractor and who is an employee.
The Morrissey Donations Art Exhibition
Running from Monday 21 February to Wednesday 30 March, The Morrissey Collection is an exhibition of artworks donated by John to the University of Wollongong.
Amazon to pay staff full college tuition
Amazon’s more than 750,000 operations employees in the U.S. are eligible for fully funded college tuition, including cost of classes, books, and fees.
What is Better: 4 Days a week, or Flex Time?
Amid alarming levels of employee stress and burnout, some organisations are considering what might have been unthinkable to many a few years ago: reducing the…
Strategies to Engage and Retain a Manufacturing Workforce
Gallup recently found that 25% of manufacturing workers are engaged at work. In manufacturing this shows low engagement and create struggling workplace cultures.
Purpose Built Companies are Good for All
Just How Purpose-Driven Is Your Organisation Culture?
The Great Resignation – an Employer’s Problem
Almost 40 per cent of Australian workers say they want to switch employers in the next year, suggesting the nation is on the brink of…
