Page 35 - The Bulletin #135 Summer 2021

GETTING COMPLIANCE RIGHT
As we enter 2021, there is a lot happening on the employment compliance front.
The federal parliament is considering proposed changes to the Fair Work Act which may lead to some improvements for employers but they also provide for massive fines, criminal prosecution and imprisonment for wage theft.
Apply National Employment
Standards for everyone
There are 10 National Employment Standards that apply to all of your employees. These cover:
1. Maximum ordinary hours of 38 per week
plus reasonable additional hours.
2. Requests for flexible working arrangements. 3. Parental leave and related entitlements. 4. Annual leave.
5. Personal/carer’s leave, compassionate
leave and unpaid leave to deal with
Further information on the NES can be accessed at www.fairwork.gov.au/ employee-entitlements/national- employment-standards.
Verify and apply modern
awards where applicable
Most employees in the civil construction industry are covered by some modern award for example:
The Victorian Government has also legislated to criminalise wage theft and is due to come into play by 1 July 2021.
that
HUMAN RESOURCES
From1March2021,anewversionof the primary award in the construction industrytakeseffect.TheBuildingand Construction Industry On-site Award 2020 replaces the 2010 version after 7 years of negotiations in the modern award review process.
So a priority for any business in
the industry should be to verify your compliance with your legal obligations as an employer.
Here is a list of key items for getting compliance right in 2021.
familyordomesticviolence.
6. Community service leave.
7. Longserviceleave(mainlyasperState
legislation).
8. Public holidays.
9. Notice of termination and redundancy
pay (except where there is an Industry-
Specific Redundancy Scheme) 10. Fair Work Information Statement.
These are all applicable by law to all federal system employees and cannot be contracted out of.
1. Labourers,plantoperators,traffic controllers tradespersons like carpenters andbricklayersandothersarecovered by the Building and Construction General On-site Award.
2. Truck drivers are covered by the Road Transport and Distribution Award.
3. Clerical/administrative staff are covered by the Clerks – Private Sector Award.
4. Engineers are covered by the Professional Employees Award.
5. Plumbers are covered by the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award.
THE BULLETIN – Civil Contractors Federation VIC SPRING 2020 35
in 2021