We're Here To Help Small Business, Says Fair Work Ombudsman

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5th January 2010, 02:01pm - Views: 910





People Feature Fair Work Ombudsman 1 image

Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94 





Media Release





                    5 Jan 2010


We’re here to help small business, says Fair

Work Ombudsman 


Fair Work inspectors will visit almost 50,000 small businesses throughout the country to

help guide them through Australia’s new workplace laws.


The visits will target private sector employers entering the national workplace relations

system for the first time.


Fair Work Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson announced the transitional visits in Adelaide today

as part of the Federal Government’s Fair Work Week to mark the full implementation of

Australia’s new Fair Work system on January 1.


Mr Wilson says his Agency will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with small businesses to assist

them to better understand, comply with and maximise the benefits of the new legislation.


“We are very serious about our job of building knowledge and fairer workplaces and are

strongly focussed on ensuring the community understands its workplace rights and

obligations,” he said.


This year, the Fair Work Ombudsman plans to call on 10,000 small businesses in NSW,

10,000 in Queensland, 5000 in South Australia and 1000 in Tasmania.


There will be additional visits in 2011 and 2012. 


During December, the Fair Work Infoline fielded over 4000 calls a day, peaking at 4750 on

the Monday before Christmas. About 35 per cent of callers are employers or their

representatives.


Mr Wilson said questions about Modern Awards ranked in the top five issues raised by

callers on December 29, 30 and 31 – indicating that employers were clearly engaging with

the changes.


“Inspectors will adopt a flexible, fair approach to businesses found to be in breach of the

new laws, as it is always our preference to work with employers to educate them and help

them voluntarily rectify any non-compliance issues we identify,” he said. 


“The Fair Work Act gives us a safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum

employment terms and conditions by which to encourage harmonious, productive and co-

operative workplace relations.” 


Mr Wilson says the Fair Work Ombudsman has been progressively expanding the range of

user-friendly resources on its website to not only assist employers understand and comply

with new laws, but also to operate their workplaces according to best practice.  


More than 42,000 copies of 11 new Best Practice Guides posted in September had been

downloaded by Christmas. The most popular has been “Small Business and the Fair Work

Act”.


Mr Wilson says while small to medium-sized businesses contribute enormously to the

nation’s wealth and provide significant private sector employment, experience suggests

they are largely inexperienced in the field of workplace relations and need assistance to

understand and comply with workplace laws.


People Feature Fair Work Ombudsman 2 image






Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94 


He revealed that when Fair Work inspectors discovered a problem in a workplace,

ignorance was often the reason for the contravention.


“Ignorance is no excuse, but we recognise that in order to comply, we must help

employers understand the law and the obligations it imposes upon them,” he said.


Mr Wilson says that of the 30,000 matters his inspectors investigate annually, 99 per cent

are resolved co-operatively and voluntarily by employers without the need for litigation. 


“Other than in exceptional circumstances, we do not initiate legal action against businesses

where they have demonstrably tried to do the right thing,” he said. 


The Fair Work Ombudsman has a range of resources on its website – www.fairwork.gov.au


to assist employers large and small alike.


Recent additions include:



The Fair Work Information Statement – translated into 20 languages



An explanation of the new 10 National Employment Standards



Modern Awards, including phasing in pay rates



Workplace discrimination – what is it?



An overview of State referrals for employers new to the national system



Multi-media versions of a number of Best Practice Guides



Templates for small business for engaging new employees, probation periods and

termination of employment.


Use of a “live help” service on the website has recently increased from an average of 10

“chats” a day to about 70.


Mr Wilson says www.fairwork.gov.au also provides employers with payslip and record-

keeping templates, a self-audit checklist and fact sheets on dozens of topics including

leave, industrial action, public holidays, enterprise bargaining, gender pay equity and

family-friendly workplaces.

 

He says employers need to be aware that under Commonwealth workplace laws they must

keep accurate time, wages, annual leave and other employment records and issue

sufficiently detailed payslips.


Mr Wilson says as well as Online resources, the Fair Work Ombudsman has more than

200 highly-skilled advisers available to speak with small business people with questions on

its Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 – open 8am-6pm weekdays.


And he says State referrals to the national system will also allow an expansion of the Fair

Work Ombudsman’s face-to-face contact with employers in more regional areas

throughout Australia. In South Australia, for example, the Agency already has offices in

Adelaide, Port Augusta and Mt Gambier, but under contractual arrangements with the

State, will also have a presence in Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Lincoln.  


Fast facts: In the five months from July 1, 2009 to November 30, the Fair Work

Ombudsman nationally:



Received 8718 complaints


Commenced 2468 targeted audits


Recorded over 200,000 visits to its website


Fielded 392,774 telephone calls 


Responded to 8421 email, fax and internet inquiries


Recovered $12 million for 7538 underpaid workers


Media: Craig Bildstien, Director of Media & Stakeholder Relations, 0419 818 484.






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