Introducing our new lawyer for NRA Legal

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce our membership to our new lawyer on the NRA Legal...

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce our membership to our new lawyer on the NRA Legal team, Emma Treherne. Emma brings over 10 years' experience in workplace relations and human resources management experience to the National Retail Association. Emma has previously worked for Australian Industry Group, a leading employer association,...

Read More

Things you need to know when employing young workers this Christmas

With consumers gearing up to spend big over the Christmas period and summer holidays, retailers are busy preparing themselves...

With consumers gearing up to spend big over the Christmas period and summer holidays, retailers are busy preparing themselves and employing young workers to assist over the coming weeks. But are you aware of the laws around young workers? It is certainly not the case that you can pay your...

Read More

Penalised for the best of intentions

Protect yourself from costly mistakes by getting professional advice By Alex Millman and Justine Ansell, NRA Legal A mistake in handling...

Protect yourself from costly mistakes by getting professional advice By Alex Millman and Justine Ansell, NRA Legal A mistake in handling an employee’s redundancy around the same time as the commencement of her maternity leave has cost an employer $57,842.99 in compensation and penalties. The court found that had the manager consulted...

Read More

Is your business keeping accurate records?

If you don’t, it will become a very expensive exercise… Written by Sid Sidhu and Justine Ansell, NRA Legal Record keeping...

If you don’t, it will become a very expensive exercise… Written by Sid Sidhu and Justine Ansell, NRA Legal Record keeping can be a time consuming and tedious task for most businesses, especially those without a dedicated payroll team. However, members must be vigilant in this space given the strict legal...

Read More

NRA are standing up for retail and fast food in the Penalty Rates Case

By Alex Millman and Justine Ansell, NRA Legal The union challenge to the Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut penalty...

By Alex Millman and Justine Ansell, NRA Legal The union challenge to the Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut penalty rates in the retail, fast food and hospitality sectors wrapped up yesterday, with the Federal Court reserving its decision to be handed down at a later date. With five judges, approximately...

Read More

Message from the CEO: 19 September 2017

We would like to take this opportunity to notify our membership that we are farewelling Troy Wild, NRA’s Director,...

We would like to take this opportunity to notify our membership that we are farewelling Troy Wild, NRA’s Director, Legal Division, who has been a great support to all of you over the past 12 months.  We thank Troy for his contribution to the NRA and the retail industry...

Read More

Woolworths wins appeal over hazardous grape

Written by Sid Sidhu, NRA Legal A Sydney woman, who was awarded $151,000 in compensation after slipping on a grape...

Written by Sid Sidhu, NRA Legal A Sydney woman, who was awarded $151,000 in compensation after slipping on a grape in her local Woolworths, has lost her case on appeal and been ordered to pay the supermarket’s legal costs. First Instance At first instance, Justice Maiden SC of the District Court of...

Read More

End of contract means no dismissal? Maybe not …

By Alex Millman and Angela Szczepanski, NRA Legal Khayam v Navitas English Pty Ltd T/A Navitas English FWCFB 4092 The...

By Alex Millman and Angela Szczepanski, NRA Legal Khayam v Navitas English Pty Ltd T/A Navitas English FWCFB 4092 The Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission has granted a teacher leave to appeal against the decision dismissing his unfair dismissal application, challenging long-established precedent claiming that his employment was...

Read More

VW Bill to go before Parliament

The Government has announced that it intends to bring the Vulnerable Workers Bill (the Bill) before Parliament in the...

The Government has announced that it intends to bring the Vulnerable Workers Bill (the Bill) before Parliament in the final sitting of the financial year before going on its winter break. The Bill was passed by the House of Representatives on 11 May 2017. It is now pending approval by...

Read More

Email misconduct dismissal upheld

by Sid Sidhu and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Georgia Sologinkin v Cosmetic Suppliers Pty Ltd T/A Coty FWC 1838 An...

by Sid Sidhu and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Georgia Sologinkin v Cosmetic Suppliers Pty Ltd T/A Coty FWC 1838 An employee who made highly offensive comments about numerous clients of the company was found to have been fairly dismissed by the Fair Work Commission (FWC), earlier last month. The accounts manager,...

Read More

Proposed Changes to VIC Workplace Health and Safety Laws

by Sid Sidhu and Troy Wild,  NRA Legal A new Bill, introduced to Victorian Parliament earlier this month, proposes to...

by Sid Sidhu and Troy Wild,  NRA Legal A new Bill, introduced to Victorian Parliament earlier this month, proposes to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) (‘the Act’) as well as some other legislation, including the Dangerous Goods Act 1985 (Vic). If passed, the new changes may...

Read More

Unfair dismissal case actually “genuine redundancy”

by Sid Sidhu and Troy Wild, NRA legal Case study: Laura Wrzoskiewicz v Easy Payroll Perth Pty Ltd FWC...

by Sid Sidhu and Troy Wild, NRA legal Case study: Laura Wrzoskiewicz v Easy Payroll Perth Pty Ltd FWC 2469 A recent case before the Fair Work Commission highlights the meaning of “genuine redundancy” and when an employee will be unable to substantiate an unfair dismissal claim. In this case, a...

Read More

Senate Report: Vulnerable Workers’ Bill

Summary by Troy Wild, Director NRA Legal On 9 May, the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee (‘the Committee’) released...

Summary by Troy Wild, Director NRA Legal On 9 May, the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee (‘the Committee’) released its report into the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017 (‘the Bill’). Read the full report here >> The Committee recommended that the Senate pass the Bill, subject to three...

Read More

Fancy law firms fail to impress Commission

by Alex Millman and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in the 1962...

by Alex Millman and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in the 1962 classic, To Kill a Mockingbird (Universal Pictures) As a business, there is a great temptation that when faced with litigation to stick with what you know. Doubtless you will have engaged...

Read More

The rise of affordable employee advocacy has changed the playing field

By Alex Millman and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Since the Fair Work Act appeared on the scene in 2009, the...

By Alex Millman and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Since the Fair Work Act appeared on the scene in 2009, the legal environment around employment law has shifted dramatically. Any person can be represented before the Fair Work Commission by a person acting as a ‘paid agent’. Whilst this is nothing new,...

Read More

Ignorance is no defence

by Alex Millman and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Sometimes, ignorance of the law is the only excuse an employer can...

by Alex Millman and Troy Wild, NRA Legal Sometimes, ignorance of the law is the only excuse an employer can provide in their defence. Unfortunately, as we all know, ignorance is no defence. In recent years we have seen increasing exasperation from the courts when an employer contravenes an Award by...

Read More