Keeping You Informed
At Justitia, we share the information
that will make your job easier.
News and Online Training
Blogs
Shifting Focus: Proactivity in eliminating workplace sexual harassment
Sexual harassment remains worldwide an alarming issue, transcending borders, cultures, and industries. Australia is no exception. Shockingly, 1.3 million Australian women experienced sexual harassment during 2021-2022, while one in three Australian workers has faced such behaviour at their workplace in the past five years.
Workplace investigation deemed ‘deeply flawed and lacking rigour’, reinstatement ordered
A recent decision by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) highlights the importance of conducting thorough and fair workplace investigations. In Crook v CITIC Pacific Mining Management Pty Ltd, the FWC reinstated an employee who had been dismissed for engaging in inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature towards a new female trainee, following a flawed investigation.
Fixed term contracts – are you prepared for 6 December? Book in a time now for peace of mind!
Time is running out to review your organisation’s fixed term contract arrangements before legislative amendments come into effect. Book a one-hour session with one of our senior lawyers to consider whether your organisation needs to take any further measures before 6 December.
Working remotely: What key cases tell us
Working remotely is a hot issue with some employers wanting staff to return to the office. What do employers need to consider?
Employers need to investigate their work practices before they sack, not afterwards
A recent Fair Work Commission decision reinforces that employers must take care with their investigations of misconduct, and determine whether a work practice has been condoned by management before sacking staff. In this case, the Commission reinstated three employees who had been summarily dismissed due to a policy breach.
Non-work-related injuries – employers still have obligations to accommodate
Employers may think that an employee’s injury sustained outside of work has nothing to do with them. However, a recent decision re-affirms the obligations on employers under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA) to provide reasonable adjustments for an employee, even where an injury was sustained outside of work.
Lawyers Weekly Podcast Episode
Navigating an increase in general protections claims
Jess Toop joins Jerome Doraisamy as she discusses the current state of general protections claims, why these claims are on the rise, what current applications are looking like, how AI is being used in the preparation of claims, and the broader impact these developments are having on employers, businesses, and employment lawyers. The conversation also explores how the Fair Work Commission is responding, how workplace behaviours and risk management strategies are shifting, and what employers should be watching closely moving forward.
Business Essentials Daily Podcast
A change to casual employment rules
The federal government is considering amending the definition of a casual employee. This will have significant impacts on employers and how they use casual staff in their workforce, as well as what defines a suitable casual contracted employee.
Justitia Senior Associate, Janet Tan joins Chris Ashmore on the Business Essentials Daily podcast where she discusses the potential penalties if employees are misclassified.
Lawyers Weekly Podcast Episode
Why part-time lawyering works for me
Meg Crawford joins Jerome Doraisamy as she shares her experience on what her three-day working week set-up looks like and how she makes it work with her firm, changing views on what it means to be a legal professional, how those coming through the ranks can explore part-time working arrangements with their employers if they have other pursuits in mind, shaking off traditional mindsets of the volume of work required of lawyers, and how she feels optimistic about the sustainability of her more holistic approach to her career.
VLGA Connect Podcast Episode
Workplace Investigations and………Workplace Investigations
Sarah Rey joins Steve Cooper at Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) as they discuss all you need to know about workplace investigations- the common dynamics, breaking down the steps, legal privilege and confidentiality, some recurring mis-steps, essential ingredients and life after the investigation’s conclusion.