HABA – Did You Know?

Hair & Beauty Australia, a not-for-profit industry association, highlight some of the recent changes affecting the beauty industry and your business.

1) Personal Carer's Leave

Personal Carer’s Leave is used when an employee or a member of the employees’ immediate family or household is sick, injured or has an unexpected emergency. Employers have the right to request for evidence if an employee takes a personal/carer’s day. If evidence is not provided, employers do not have to pay employees for that day. Evidence can include a doctor’s certificate of a statutory declaration signed by a Justice of the Peace.

2) Contractors and Employees

It is important to know the difference between contractors and employees – different rules apply for both and you may be fined if you have a staff member who is an employee but who you are classifying as a contractor. A contract stating that someone is an independent contractor is not a sufficient argument for Fair Work if the person is in fact being treated like an employee.

3) Fair Work System

If you have been asked or are asking for a trial of a potential new employee, it is important that the potential employee is to be paid. There is no such thing as an “unpaid trial” in the Fair Work System. Payments should be made at the appropriate classification and wage rate. However, if you ask an employee to do a skills test to demonstrate their abilities, this does not require payment.

Visit www.hairandbeautyaustralia.com.au for further information.