Archived News for Human Resource Professionals - January, 2012
The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has reiterated its opposition to the Federal Government’s planned Road Safety Remuneration Bill, saying that it will not improve safety on Australian roads.
"Ai Group strongly believes that a narrow focus on how, and how much, drivers are paid is not an effective way to address road safety," Chief Executive Heather Ridout said
Government encourages uptake of Wage Connect Subsidy
The Australian Government’s new Wage Connect Subsidy has assisted 516 long term unemployed Australians to a paying job this month.
Business lines up against abolition of ABCC
Business organisations including the Business Council of Australia, the Housing Industry Association and the Master Builders Association are lobbying the government to abandon its plans to replace the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).
Australia's unemployment outlook: expert view
Professor Geoff Borland, Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne, has provided an overview of unemployment in Australia in a recent article on The Conversation.
Unfair dismissals cases increasing
Information released by Fair Work Australia shows that unfair dismissal claims have nearly doubled since 2008-09, the last year of operation of the Work Choices system.
Attitudes to over-50s need to change: report
A report prepared for the Financial Services Council by Westfield Wright into attitudes towards older workers has found that three in ten workers over the age of 50 have experienced age-related discrimination, and that among the over-50s, those earning under $80,000 are more than twice as likely to have experienced discrimination as those on higher incomes.
Fair Work Australia approves Newlands Coal work contracts
A decision by Fair Work Australia to allow 154 workers at Xstrata’s Newlands coalmine in Queensland to opt out of a collective union agreement in favour of common law contracts could have wider implications for future work relations cases.
More single mothers back to work under reforms
More single mothers have joined the workforce while others have increased their hours of employment since two sets of major welfare reforms were implemented, University of Canberra researchers have found.
Long-term unemployment rises
The percentage of long-term unemployed (people unemployed for one year or more) was 19% in July 2011 compared to 18% in July 2010 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Of these, around 83,000 (or three quarters of long-term unemployed people) were looking for full-time work in July 2011.
For long-term unemployed people the most common difficulties in finding a job were 'own health or disability' (17%), 'lacked necessary skills or education' (13%), followed by 'too many applicants for available jobs' (11%).
The majority of unemployed people, (81%) were unemployed for less than one year (short-term unemployed), with over a quarter of these (26%) having been unemployed for less than four weeks.
Call for comment on international labour agreement for tourism and hospitality
Public comment has been invited on a new template labour agreement to help the tourism and hospitality sectors attract skilled workers from overseas.
Qantas engineers pay deal approved
Fair Work Australia has approved a pay and conditions agreement struck between Qantas and the licensed engineers union late last year.
SME study shows cash can't buy creativity
An open, supportive and stimulating workplace is more important than pay or bonuses in driving the success of fast-growth small-to-medium enterprises, an RMIT University study has shown.
Inquiries into Fair Work amendment bills
The Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Legislation Committee is currently conducting inquiries into two Fair Work Amendment bills.
Victoria seeks new Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner
The Board of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) has called for applications for the position of Commissioner.
Background paper for Fair Work Review released
The Fair Work Act Review Panel has released a background paper and announced the timing for the review’s submission process.
GCA releases graduate employment stats
Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) has released the results of recent research that found 76 per cent of new bachelor degree graduates in the job market found full-time employment within four months of completing their studies. The report shows a decline from the 2009 figure that showed that 79 per cent had found employment.
Manpower releases Employment Outlook Survey
Employment specialist Manpower has released its first quarterly Employment Outlook Survey for 2012, finding a generally ‘upbeat hiring pace in Quarter 1, 2012’.
Hays releases HR Quarterly Report
Hays has released its Quarterly Report into HR in the private sector, finding that the mining boom is creating demand for internal recruiters and that HR Generalists are required at all levels as organisations increase their headcount.
ANZ releases job advertisement findings
ANZ has released its December 2011 quarterly report into job advertisements, finding that the total number of advertised positions has fallen by a total of 2.6 per cent when compared to the same period last year.
Ombudsman's retail campaign pays dividends
The Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered $585,000 in owed backpay for 755 staff in the retail sector throughout the country following a successful campaign by the office.
Australian Government pushes for increased teleworking
The Australian Government is staging a National Telework Week in November this year to encourage increased uptake of telework, utilising the capabilities of the National Broadband Network (NBN).