Don’t forget about the National Employment Standards in Australia

The National Employment Standards (NES) are minimum terms and conditions of employment required by Australian standards. The employment contract and/or enterprise agreement your organisation uses can improve on these conditions but they cannot go below them.

They are very important to abide by and your business should be familiar with them. They cover statutory matters such as Parental Leave and Flexible Working Arrangements.

It’s stated at the end of the document:

“Penalties in excess of $13,000 (for an individual) or $66,000 (for a company) can apply for a contravention of the NES. Penalty amounts are subject to change. You can check the current penalty amounts at www.fairwork.gov.au/litigation”

It’s beneficial for businesses to be aware that they can be penalised if they do not adhere to the NES.

A copy of ‘Introduction to National Employment Standards’ should be provided to all new starters. You can find a copy here: Introduction to the National Employment Standards (fairwork.gov.au).

If you require any assistance to interpret parts of the NES, please engage with your HR professional or reach out to Nic Willis Consulting for assistance – we’re here to help!

The information in this blog is relevant as of September 2022.