Yesterday Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the Federal Government will release $130 million with the single objective of keeping Australians in jobs to offset the impact of COVID-19.   In short, it is a payment of $1500 per employee per fortnight (before tax) as a wage subsidy paid to employers.  Employers who apply for the payments will have a legal obligation to ensure the full amount is passed on to eligible employees.  
So, what does this mean to you and your business and how do you access this support?  

This week, Scott Morrison made further announcements relating to the coronavirus and the changes we need to make to minimise the infection numbers across Australia.  More businesses will be impacted as they will not be allowed to operate as normal from midnight 25 March 2020.    The other key message to come from both Scott Morrison and the state Premiers is that Stage 2 requires those who can work from home, to do so effective immediately.  Clearly not all industries can manage this but there are options for others who previously felt it was impossible.

​Over the weekend there have been a number of significant developments as our State and Federal Governments react to the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus.  Following is a summary of information that you will need to be across as a business owner and employer that will help you navigate your options and support your team.

As an employer and business leader, we know this is a challenging time.  Good leaders make plans for the future but the coronavirus (Covid-19) has come out of nowhere and the situation we all find ourselves in is unprecedented.  There is already significant information about the virus – reporting exposure, symptoms, flattening the curve, self-isolation and hygiene considerations – so we aren’t going to rehash all of that information.  Rather, we will provide some answers to a few frequently asked HR questions that many of you are facing.  

​With the ongoing challenges of managing a global health issue, it is important to look at what the facts are and how it may impact your business.  Aside from the challenge of being able to source sufficient toilet paper, businesses face the prospect of managing employees who many be exposed to COVID-19 despite the strict border controls now in place.  Compounding the issue is that this a first of its kind issue and the advice changes daily as the situation evolves and we learn more about the virus and its impact.  As your HR Consultants, we advise you keep abreast of the changing advice and remain flexible as you manage the updates and the effect on your employees and your business.  To help you, we have an overview that is current as of today.

Did you know that there are situations in which an employee can resign and it can be deemed a dismissal?  Sounds like convoluted word play I know, but it can then allow that employee to lodge an unfair dismissal with Fair Work!
 
What?
 
That’s right, an employee who resigns, in certain circumstances can lodge an unfair dismissal claim.  Let’s take a deeper look at this….