I feel every time I look at the award it is different from the last. Should employers not be informed when changes take place? Especially when I have multiple awards covering my workplace, I feel like its always a moving target. How do you stay across these changes without living in these awards daily?

Are you ready for the new changes, but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! We just posted some fantastic tips to help you get your business prepared for the new Right to Disconnect policy. Check it out here: https://www.skool.com/hr-community-hub-7696/the-new-right-to-disconnect-what-business-owners-and-managers-need-to-know?p=bc29a7df As a valued member of our HR Help Hub, we’re here to ensure you stay ahead of the curve. Our goal is to help you position your workforce not only to comply with the new regulations but to thrive under them. To support you, we’ve created an example Right to Disconnect policy, attached to this post. We encourage you to read through it and consider how you can implement something similar, tailored to your own workplace. Thank you for being part of our community! Let’s navigate these changes together and set your business up for success! Need help? Reach out to us here for a free 15min chat - https://calendly.com/humanpower-support/hr-coffee-chat

The right to disconnect starts from the 26th August 2024 for most employers*. This new legislation is raising important questions about its implications for both employees and employers, particular how to navigate this right whilst still running an responsive operation. *For employees of small businesses, it will start on 26 August 2025. So What is the Right to Disconnect? The right to disconnect grants employees the ability to refuse monitoring, reading, or responding to work-related contact outside their designated working hours. This includes any attempted contact from their employer or third parties related to their work, such as clients or customers.. For some, this may cause some serious disruption! Key points to note: - This right does not impose a general obligation on employers to refrain from contacting employees outside of work hours. Such restrictions would only apply if an employee applies to the Fair Work Commission, which can make an order preventing contact. - It is a workplace right under the general protections provisions of the Fair Work Act, meaning employers are prohibited from taking adverse action against employees for exercising this right. When can employees say no? Employees can refuse work-related contact outside working hours unless it’s unreasonable to do so. So how do you determine what factors make the contact reasonable? - The reason for the contact: Is it urgent or critical? - How the contact is made: What level of disruption does it cause? - Compensation: Is the employee compensated for availability or for additional hours worked? - Role and responsibility: What is the nature and level of the employee’s role? - Personal circumstances: Considerations such as family or caring responsibilities. NOTE - Employees can’t refuse contact if it’s required by law. Handling Disputes If there’s a disagreement about the right to disconnect, try to solve it within the workplace first. If that doesn’t work, the Fair Work Commission can help by:

Hey everyone! 👋 As many of you know, the Fair Work Commission recently completed its annual wage review for 2023-24. This review will affect all employees covered by Modern Award Minimum Wages (this includes the Social Community Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award) and the National Minimum Wage (generally for Award-Free employees). To help our HR Help Hub community navigate these changes smoothly, I’ve put together a quick guide with key points and actions for business owners and managers. By way of introduction my name is Phil. I am a Senior HR Professional and the Founder of Human Power (HR & Talent Consultancy). So, What Do You Need to Know? Effective Date and Details: • Effective Date: The new wage rates will kick in from 1st July 2024. • Increase Details: The updated minimum wage rates have been outlined in the Fair Work Commission’s decision. You can check out the details here. (To save you some time, it’s a 3.75% increase on the current minimum rates.) Actions Required Let’s dive into what you need to do to ensure your business complies with these new changes. 1. Review Salaries (Annualised Wages) & Employees Paid Above Award Rates If you have employees on annualised salaries with off-set arrangements or who are paid above award rates, it’s recommended to conduct a Better Off Overall Test (BOOT). This ensures that their total remuneration is higher than the minimum entitlements under the relevant modern award. Should the BOOT determine that wages/salaries are below the required minimum, you will need to complete a Pay Increase Letter informing the employee of the change to their remuneration effective from 1st July 2024. For wages/salaries that are above the new award rate, you may be able to absorb the increase. 2. Communicate with Your Employees Prepare Personalised Pay Increase Letters: You are required to notify your employees of changes to their employment, including changes to their remuneration (wages/salary). Sending a personalised letter to each affected employee about their new pay rate and the effective date is best practice and recommended. To save you some time, I’ve attached a general example of a pay increase letter template.