Union moves to block final penalty rate cut

Members will be aware that Sunday penalty rates under the General Retail Industry Award 2010 have been reducing in...

Members will be aware that Sunday penalty rates under the General Retail Industry Award 2010 have been reducing in small increments since 1 July 2017, with the final reduction due to take effect from 1 July 2020. This reduction was hard-won by the NRA and other employer groups over three...

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Casuals and Jobkeeper: casual absenteeism and disciplinary processes

By Andrew Piper and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal   Although reasonably new (and still changing), the JobKeeper program has, so far,...

By Andrew Piper and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal   Although reasonably new (and still changing), the JobKeeper program has, so far, had a mixed effect on businesses. Whilst some employers have embraced it wholeheartedly others, especially those with a workforce comprised largely of casual employees usually earning less than $1,500 a fortnight,...

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Legal Beagles | Episode 6: Bullying in the workplace

A topic very near and dear to the Legal Beagles hearts.  Cal and Al return this week with a topic causing...

A topic very near and dear to the Legal Beagles hearts.  Cal and Al return this week with a topic causing some stress for well-known brands - workplace bullying (aka exhibit one for Cal's claim to the Fair Work Commission). But the topic of workplace bullying is no laughing matter. It...

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Legal Beagles | Episode 5: Does this wage look right to you?

Does this wage look right to you? The Legal Beagles, Cal and Al, return for 2020 with a brand...

Does this wage look right to you? The Legal Beagles, Cal and Al, return for 2020 with a brand new analysis on the wage theft (or non-compliance) scandals that have rocked the headlines. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they made any New Years resolutions to be nicer to each...

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Legal Beagles | Episode 4: Top 10 Dismissals of 2019

2019 is drawing to a close, so the Legal Beagles decided to go over their favourite (and most infamous)...

2019 is drawing to a close, so the Legal Beagles decided to go over their favourite (and most infamous) dismissal decisions of the year. From family squabbles to extremely bad behaviour, it's a wild ride from start to finish. Like, comment and subscribe to our National Retail Association YouTube channel...

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Ten years of Fair Work: Closing out the decade

By Calum Woods and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal With the year almost over, it’s time to reflect on the lessons...

By Calum Woods and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal With the year almost over, it’s time to reflect on the lessons learned in 2019, and prepare for the start of a new decade. In January, we predicted that compliance would continue to be a major factor affecting retail businesses, however for...

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Redundancy: A question of intent

Redundancy: A question of intent By Alex Millman and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal The concept of redundancy is a reasonably straightforward...

Redundancy: A question of intent By Alex Millman and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal The concept of redundancy is a reasonably straightforward one – the employer no longer requires the particular job occupied by an individual to be done by anyone. Case closed. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) modifies this...

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Drinks after work: from legless to jobless

When getting legless can lead to being jobless: lessons learned from after-work drinks By Thomas Parer and Lindsay Carroll, NRA...

When getting legless can lead to being jobless: lessons learned from after-work drinks By Thomas Parer and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal Employers and employees are starting to realise that grabbing some casual drinks after work could leave them with bigger consequences than just a hangover. In the recent decision, the Full...

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NRA leading proactive responses to wage compliance in the retail and fast food industries

As the approaching Christmas season brings 2018 inexorably to a close, the NRA’s Legal Practice Director and Deputy CEO,...

As the approaching Christmas season brings 2018 inexorably to a close, the NRA’s Legal Practice Director and Deputy CEO, Lindsay Carroll reflects on a year that has been a challenging time for retailers and business in general. Never before has compliance with industrial laws been so far at the...

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Compliance report reveals underpayments of more than $44,000

By Victoria Hansen and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) released its findings on Degani Bakery...

By Victoria Hansen and Lindsay Carroll, NRA Legal The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) released its findings on Degani Bakery and Café (Degani) Compliance Activity (Activity) last week, finding non-compliance at 15 out of 16 Degani outlets operating under either a licensee or franchisee arrangement with Degani Australia Pty Ltd. Background The...

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NRA welcomes the appointment of new Fair Work Ombudsman

The National Retail Association (NRA) has today welcomed the appointment of Sandra Parker PSM as the new Fair Work...

The National Retail Association (NRA) has today welcomed the appointment of Sandra Parker PSM as the new Fair Work Ombudsman. The highly distinguished Ms Parker will commence her five-year term on 15 July 2018, following the conclusion of current Ombudsman’s Natalie James’s tenure. NRA CEO Dominique Lamb congratulated Ms Parker on...

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Retailers to the Senate – “Stop moving the goalposts on penalty rates”

The National Retail Association has demanded the Senate stop moving the goalposts on employment, saying constant threats of disruption...

The National Retail Association has demanded the Senate stop moving the goalposts on employment, saying constant threats of disruption to Fair Work arrangements were a massive disincentive to employment. The Senate is scheduled to vote this week on Labor Party amendments which would knobble the independent umpire Labor set up...

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HAVE YOUR SAY: Pay Protection Bill

The Fair Work (Pay Protection) Bill 2017 (Cth) makes several amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 that, if...

The Fair Work (Pay Protection) Bill 2017 (Cth) makes several amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 that, if passed, will have serious implications for employers using Enterprise Agreements approved after 1 January 2010. We are preparing a submission to the Fair Work Commission on the proposed changes. If you...

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Fair Work inspectors to audit 1600 hair and beauty salons

Hair and beauty salons and retail outlets are the focus of a new Fair Work Ombudsman compliance campaign that...

Hair and beauty salons and retail outlets are the focus of a new Fair Work Ombudsman compliance campaign that will target businesses along the east coast of Australia. Fair Work Inspectors will conduct audits of at least 1600 businesses in randomly selected urban and regional areas of Queensland, New South...

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Introduction of “Corrupting Benefits” laws

by Meaghan Spencer and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash introduced new legislation...

by Meaghan Spencer and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash introduced new legislation this week that outlaws payments of "corrupting benefits" to unions and imposes penalties on those who provide or receive such payments. The Prime Minister said that the Fair Work Amendment (Corrupting...

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Vulnerable Workers’ Bill

MEDIA RELEASE March 1, 2017 Retailers fearful legislation introduced today could spell the end for struggling SMEs The National Retail Association (NRA)...

MEDIA RELEASE March 1, 2017 Retailers fearful legislation introduced today could spell the end for struggling SMEs The National Retail Association (NRA) has today expressed serious concerns about new provisions in the Vulnerable Workers Bill being introduced to Parliament today, making franchisors responsible for underpayment of labour within their franchisee network, and...

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