We have recently added a "generic" modern award transition calculator which should suit most applications, for working out how the modern award transition process will affect your wage rates.

...or our specialist knowledge, years of experience and acute understanding of awards, especially in the context of transition to modern award rates and penalties.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is faced with an impossible task. We recount an online chat room discussion with the FWO, which shows they are feeling the strain.

Enterprise agreements under the Fair Work Act? Our question to you would be, "Why would you want to do one?". The cost and aggravation might significantly outweigh the benefits, particularly as uncertainty under the system has grown significantly.

We are in the process of developing minimum award wage schedules for our clients.

Fair Work Australia recently issues a decision regarding salary exemption clauses that makes us feel a lot more confident about use of salary exemption clauses.

We answer a client query about what is included and excluded in determining whether a high-income executive who is not otherwise covered by an award or an enterprise agreement is able to take an unfair dismissal action.

We often get asked by clients about whether individuals can be engaged as contractors. Its a very complex area, with different tests applied by different agencies and for different purposes. The ATO has a decision tool which will help you meet Tax and Superannuation obligations.

The NES kicked in on 1 January 2010, including provisions regarding what is a public holiday. What impact is this having on whether a day is a public holiday?

As we forecast, a recent decision that enterprise agreements must contain compulsory arbitration provisions hasw been overruled.

In our view, a recent decision by FWA not to approve an enterprise agreement on the basis it did not provide for compulsory arbitration will not stand - one way or the other...

The introduction of modern awards will mean major changes to minimum award rates, loadings and penalties during the transitional period commencing 1 January 2010 and concluding on 1 July 2014. Use our calculator to estimate your new wage rates under various awards in stages commencing 1 July 2010...

We think employers will still be able to make over-award payments to employees to compensate them for various award entitlements, such as weekend penalty rates, despite the presence of  model flexibility clauses in modern awards. But you should take extra steps to keep them safe...

Use our checklist to check your readiness for Fair Work Changes commencing 1 January 2010

From 1 January 2010, all employers covered by the national workplace relations system have an obligation to give each new employee a Fair Work Information Statement before, or as soon as possible after, the employee starts employment.

There are some overall positives arising out of the introduction of the Fair Work Act and the NES in particular.

Award and Enterprise Agreement flexibility provisions are to be inserted into all awards and enterprise agreements to increase individual flexibility - but they may have unexpected impacts on the overaward area for the unwary.

This article explains how employers will need to transition to the new modern award rates and conditions in those industries where the award system will have an impact.

We have created a handy summary document setting out union rights of entry under the Fair Work Act.

Employers will need to make sure they dismiss employees in writing from 1/1/10.

The devil is always in the detail...watch out for the changes under the Fair Work Act relating to FWA's power to arbitrate disputes, particularly when negotiating an enterprise agreement. Even existing ones may start to mean something different than they did before...