Regardless of whether you an employer, employee or independent contractor working in Australia, most employment relationships in Australia are now regulated by our national workplace relations system known as the Fair Work system. T
Since 1 January 2010, all businesses in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania have all come under the Fair Work Act (FWA) rather than their own specific state system.
The purpose to establish national workplace standards between an employer and an employee. The FWA provides a safety net of minimum entitlements, enable flexible working arrangements and fairness at work and prevents discrimination against employees.
Fair Work Information Statement
All employers in the national workplace relations system are required by law to give each new employee the Fair Work Information Statement before, or as soon as possible after they start their job.
The FWIS has information on:
- the National Employment Standards
- right to request flexible working arrangements
- modern awards
- making agreements under the Fair Work Act 2009
- individual flexibility arrangements
- freedom of association and workplace rights (general protections)
- termination of employment
- right of entry
- the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Commission.
National Employment Standards (NES)
The National Employment standards are 10 minimum standards of employment all businesses must adhere to when they employ staff. These are set out in the FWA.
The 10 minimum entitlements of the NES are:
- Maximum weekly hours
- Requests for flexible working arrangements
- Parental leave and related entitlements
- Annual leave
- Personal/carer’s leave, compassionate leave and unpaid family and domestic violence leave
- Community service leave
- Long service leave
- Public holidays
- Notice of termination and redundancy pay
- Fair Work Information Statement