6 Ways to Make Your Workplace More Flexible and Less Stressful

By Jevita Derby

Australia, once known as the land of the long weekend, is gradually becoming the land of long work week.

Work intensification and the ever increasing pace at which we live our lives are contributing to a culture where employees work long hours, don’t utilise their annual leave entitlement and skip lunch breaks.

OECD reports that Australians work the longest week of any developed country, an average of 44 hours, whilst new research shows that up to a third of employees don’t take a lunch break and instead eat at their desks.

Parental Leave in Australia – Employer Obligations

By: Jevita Derby

The National Employment Standards (NES) establish minimum entitlements to unpaid parental leave and related entitlements, which apply to all employees in Australia.

On 1 January 2011, Australia’s first national Paid Parental Leave scheme began. This scheme is government funded and applies to all working parents of children born or adopted on or after 1 January 2011. Up until now, the government has been administering the Paid Parental Leave scheme, but from 1 July 2011 employers must administer the scheme to eligible employees. 

This article provides a summary of the main information that employers need to know regarding unpaid and paid parental leave.