The Christmas and New Year period can significantly impact business operations for organisations across Australia. Some businesses may become significantly busier to keep up with demand, whilst others may be shutting down. With the festive season approaching there are important employee entitlements that you should now be planning for.
The Festive Season is just around the corner and many businesses are now looking to recruit their seasonal workforce.
Psychosocial health and safety in the workplace refer to the mental and emotional well-being of employees within an organisation. It encompasses creating an environment that fosters positive mental health, minimises harm, and supports employees in times of distress.
The Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) applies to all employers and employees as well as prospective employees – permanent or casual. The Act includes discrimination on the basis of a ‘criminal record’ where an employee is dismissed from employment or denied certain opportunities due to a criminal record. Further, a job applicant may be discriminated against through being denied the job because of their criminal record.
Employers may need to temporarily close down their businesses for a range of different reasons, this is considered a shut down. Shut downs may occur because of refurbishments or during slow periods of the year, such as Christmas and New Year.
Most employers will already be aware of the need for flexibility during the crisis and its aftermath in relation to supporting employees during the clean up, difficulties they may face in attending work, providing time off for participation in any emergency services duties, etc. This is of course in the context of their business being able to re-open as quickly as possible and to resume normal business operations.
