Are you ready for the Fair Work Act?

With just two weeks until the requirements of the Fair Work Act come into play, is your association ready?
The Fair Work Act introduces a new workplace relations system, replacing the previous Work Choices law.
According to the Not-for-Profit Network, professional associations and other not-for-profit organisations should be looking to review their IR/HR policy, procedures and employment contracts to ensure they comply with the new legislation.
Some of the key changes which will apply from 1 July include:

• new unfair dismissal provisions, with different provisions for small and large business;
• revised agreement-making and bargaining provisions; and
  
• the establishment of Fair Work Australia as the new governing body.
  

Other arrangements such as the National Employment Standards, modern awards, and a new 'no disadvantage' test called the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT), will become effective from 1 January 2010.

For more information about the changes and how they might apply to your organisation, visit the Deacons website here.

Seminars on workplace relations law for NFPs

Not-for-Profit Network is holding a series of seminars in May on 'Understanding the Fair Work Act: Simplifying the new Workplace Laws for NFPs'.
The new workplace relations law will commence from 1 July 2009, and will have an immediate impact on an employer's legal relationship with their employees. The seminars will be tailored to the NFP sector, and the issues covered will include:

• Expanded unfair dismissal application
• Minimum employment standards
• New 'modern' awards
• Alterations to workplace agreements and bargaining
• New transfer of business provision (including outsourcing/insourcing)
• New 'general' employee protections
• Increased union right of entry to workplaces
• Transitional provisions (treatment of current agreements in the new system)
• New tests and the new Workplace Authority.
  

The seminars will be held in CBD locations in Sydney on 4 May, Brisbane on 8 May, Melbourne on 12 May, Adelaide on 13 May, and Perth on 19 May.
Visit the Not-for-Profit Network website here for more information and to register.