NSW moves into national industrial relations system The NSW Government has decided that all NSW employers previously covered by the NSW industrial relations system (mainly sole traders and partnerships) will now be part of the national scheme (from 1 January 2010).  If you are an employer currently covered by the NSW industrial relations system, there are some new requirements you will need to know. In the coming weeks, NSW Industrial Relations will publish information on topics relating to the national scheme that will help employers who have been working in NSW industrial relations system, come to grips with the changes to their workplace arrangements.  Fair Work for Small Business is conducting FREE webinars (interactive sessions that you can access from your own computer providing the latest updates on Fair Work.  You can get more information from the website http://www.fairworkforsmallbusiness.com.au These 1 hour sessions provide valuable information on Fair Work Overview, compliance, unfair dismissal and more. How do webinars work?  If you have a phone, a computer and an internet connection, then you are equipped to join a webinar – it’s all done online!  Once you have registered, they provide you with a link via email that will give you access to the webinar centre.  What steps do I need to take?   Many employers are already aware of the modern awards and their contents, however here’s a short list of things to review in your business, factory or farm: 1. Make sure you review the modern awards that may apply to your work force — especially for your staff and non enterprise agreement employees. Look for the scope and classifications of employees covered by modern awards. Don’t assume that people are not covered just because they may be on high incomes. 2. Check for any gaps between the award/s and your existing conditions of employment. Especially be prepared to update contracts of employment and policies to ensure that certain award conditions are not being breached. (At the same time, check your contracts and policies for compliance with NES). 3. Some modern awards also provide for scope to offset certain award entitlements under an annualised salary arrangement. Again, it would be wise to prepare draft contracts for employees that are compliant with the fairly rigorous award prescriptions to achieve this. Contact Maree Winwood-Smith, Human Resource Consultant, to obtain assistance in reviewing your employment contracts, and policies to ensure compliance.  It’s a much cheaper objective to have these checked then to face a penalty from the Fair Work Ombudsman. Useful websites to assist you: http://www.fwa.gov.au/ http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/index.html http://www.fairworkforsmallbusiness.com.au