TechHR
ex
L&D
UNPLUGGED
Sphere
About Us • Contact Us
People Matters ANZ
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

Follow us:

Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

People Matters Logo
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast
Login / Signup

Categories:

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
Will Australia pass its job laws this year?

News • 24th Nov 2022 • 4 Min Read

Will Australia pass its job laws this year?

Culture#Wellbeing

Author: Alyssa Navarro Alyssa Navarro
1.5K Reads
With the parliamentary year about to end, will Australia pass its job laws?

The Secure Jobs, Pay Better bill has passed the House of Representatives but is still facing a lot of hurdles in getting passed through the Senate.

The bill, which is one of the Albanese government’s highest priorities before the year ends, is vital in providing a pay raise for millions of Australian workers.

A report on the bill was released on Tuesday night and it clarifies which way two key Senate crossbenchers, Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock, are leaning. 

Labor is still looking for the last vote on the bill, which Pocock says he agrees with “80 to 90 per cent” but cannot vote for in its current form.

In a Senate report released Tuesday night, Pocock raised concerns with binding arbitration of flexible working requests.

Pocock and the government secured a deal regarding the territory rights bill, but Pocock said he didn’t want to get “caught up” in the industrial relations debate.

Meanwhile, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke had pleaded with Pocock to work with Labor and the Greens to pass the industrial relations bill this year. 

Burke argued that the single-interest stream is necessary to help middle income earners gain pay rises.

Key parts of the Secure Jobs, Pay Better bill

  1. Multi-employer bargaining. This is similar to collective bargaining. It occurs when workers in the same industry who are employed by different companies decide to bargain as a group. Instead of reaching individual agreements by company, they reach an agreement that covers everyone and every workplace. This umbrella agreement will be approved by the Fair Work Commission. Currently, over 15 per cent of workers are covered by these kinds of agreements, but the Albanese government wants to see that increase because it’s one of the keys to seeing wages moving. Unions are supportive of the changes but do not think it goes far enough.

  2. Pay secrecy. This means that companies would not be able to put “pay secrecy clauses” into employment contracts. Currently, companies can ban workers from comparing their salaries with their colleagues. If the bill passes into law, employees will become free to discuss their pay with whoever they want to.

  3. Greater flexibility. The bill gives employees more rights to negotiate with their employers about flexible working hours that suit their needs. Companies won’t be able to refuse a request from an employee who is trying to have a work-life balance. The law will cover parents with children who are of school age, carers and over-55s. If their company refuses their request, they can take the case to the Fair Work Commission.

  4. Fewer fixed-term contracts. The government wants to put more people into permanent work and off fixed-term contracts. If the bill passes into law, it will mean that fixed contracts would be capped at no more than two years or two consecutive contracts.

  5. Ending sexual harassment. Lastly, the bill will follow recommendations from the Respect@Work report by putting sexual harassment “expressly prohibited” under Commonwealth Law. The 2020 report focused on the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace and the capability of systems to prevent it from happening. 

Read More

Did you find this article helpful?


You Might Also Like

Pay gap data shows men outearning women by $28K

NEWS • 4th Mar 2025 • 4 Min Read

Pay gap data shows men outearning women by $28K

Compensation & BenefitsCulture#HRTech#HRCommunity
Top talent need flexibility, not competition

NEWS • 10th Feb 2025 • 2 Min Read

Top talent need flexibility, not competition

Culture#HRTech#HRCommunity#Flexibility
Tokyo moves to boost fertility with 4-day workweek

NEWS • 13th Dec 2024 • 2 Min Read

Tokyo moves to boost fertility with 4-day workweek

Culture#HRTech#HRCommunity#Wellbeing
NEXT STORY: Australia to invest $3.5M into India talent

Trending Stories

  • design-thinking-hr

    Skype is dead: Did Microsoft's leadership let a billion-doll...

  • design-thinking-hr

    From copy-paste to creative spark: mastering generative AI i...

  • design-thinking-hr

    Keeping the C-suite in the C-suite - how do we reduce execut...

  • design-thinking-hr

    Return to office: the legalities

People Matters Logo

Follow us:

Join our mailing list:

By clicking “Subscribe” button above, you are accepting our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Company:

  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Contact:

  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Get the latest Articles, Insight, News & Trends from the world of Talent & Work. Subscribe now!
People Matters Logo

Welcome Back!

or

Enter your registered email address to login

Not a user yet? Lets get you signed up!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

People Matters Logo

Welcome! Let's get you signed up...

Starting with the absolulte basics.

Already a user? Go ahead and login!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

Let's get to know you better

We'll never share your details with anyone, pinky swear.

And lastly...

Your official designation and company name.