1. Employee Backdrop in Australia

The whole arena of Industrial Relations and the interaction between employer and employee is conducted within the complex framework of various statutes, state and federal, regulations and rulings and common law. Unlike ‘tort’ law (a civil wrong such as negligence) the practice of Industrial Relations has many interlocking precepts and requirements that make it difficult for the small business practitioner to apply without assistance. Continue reading →

Cover Letters: Are you telling them what they want to know?

Let’s face it. Recruiters (or employers) are smarter than we think. Bigger organizations pay a hefty salary to their HR department to filter out and sieve through hundreds and thousands of resumes. The idea is to build an organization with people of the right mental aptitude. Most of the top organizations believe strongly in a motto – “People are their greatest assets”. Your cover letter goes a long way in capturing and retaining the attention of these people whose main job is to recruit people and coordinate with the workforce. Continue reading →

There has been a lot of hullabaloo recently about the problems facing Australia in retaining talented workers and the subsequent pressure placed on those remaining behind in the workplace.

The incidence in stress claims is rising and is having an impact on the economy and enterprises in general. Continue reading →

Writing a cover letter to send with your résumé can be both confusing and frustrating. What exactly should you say? Are you saying too much? Are you only speaking about your needs vs. the company’s needs? Oh, what to do! In this “short” piece, I will list some ideas on how to craft your cover letter. I have also provided some important links — for additional assistance — particularly if you find yourself still needing outside help. Continue reading →

In today’s employment environment, HR managers are faced with the monumental duty of hiring and maintaining, as well as the ongoing development, of employees. But the single most difficult task lies first in hiring the right people. Continue reading →

Excerpt of Death By Workers’ Compensation

“The Bleeding Rose”

In this Excerpt the time that has lapsed is over an hour after the accident. What you are about to read will sicken you and make you wonder why no charges were ever pressed and why this man was not arrested for his part in destroying another person’s life, let alone possibly destroying a unborn child’s. Alex is seven and half months pregnant. The man who injured her, basically throughout the client who saw the injury he enacted out on Alex. The client Mr. Foxworth waited. in the parking lot for help to arrive and give his statement to the police…. From the loss of blood….. Continue reading →

We have all heard in recent years that the need for a substantive policy of conducting pre-and post-employment background checks exists in more than just defense contractor and fiduciary-based enterprises. Today, with the overwhelming preponderance of employer liability litigation, and with negligent hiring being the focal point of round-table discussions of some of the plaintiff’s firms, the need for thorough background checks has been substantiated. This is a common sense perspective, not only from the standpoint of getting the best possible people for the job, but also to protect a company form this type of litigation. Continue reading →

An Employment Screening Outline

Policy Development

A policy of Factual Employment Screening; Personality Evaluation/testing; and/or Drug Testing should be developed and embedded into the core policy manual rather than exist as a supplement or bulletin policy. This avoids any “after the fact” ramifications, should the policy be challenged under discriminatory theories. Continue reading →

The Internet is the most powerful employment tool on earth. Hands down.

With the Web, you can access millions of job openings on thousands of sites. With email, you can quickly contact employers and ask for interviews.

Yet, if used incorrectly, the Internet can actually prevent you from being as productive as possible in your search for work. Continue reading →

So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task, right? Sure, you could contact three of your closest friends and ask them to be your references. They may be able to testify to your character, but do they know how well you would perform on the job? Probably not. Let’s explore the types of references you must seek, the number of people you should include, and to whom references should be submitted. Continue reading →