The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is reminding businesses about the latest industrial relations (IR) changes that come into effect. These changes will affect the rights of casual employees, contractors, as well as their right to disconnect from work outside regular hours.
COSBOA launched its Small Business Peak Program last month in Hobart, with the aim to support small businesses in navigating these updates. COSBOA is encouraging all small businesses to connect, sign up and learn more about the Program which has been specifically designed to assist businesses to navigate the recent IR changes in an easy to understand and practical format.
“Our Small Business Peak Program provides employers with information and guidance on minimum workplace rights and responsibilities. This includes today’s IR changes. These changes affect casual jobs, the ability to switch to part-time or full-time work and fundamental rules about communication within the workplace.” COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat said.
The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is urging small businesses to be aware of these updates and is offering support through its Small Business Peak Program. Launched last month, the program provides easy-to-understand resources on the recent IR changes, including:
- New definition of casual employee and conversion rights
- Changes to the definition of employment
- Right to disconnect for businesses with 15 or more employees
Survey reveals low awareness
COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat emphasized the need for support, citing a national survey that found:
- 64.7% of businesses were unaware of casual conversion requirements.
- 70.5% were unfamiliar with changes to minimum standards for “employee-like” workers.
- 63.6% lacked knowledge about the right to disconnect.
The Small Business Peak Program offers free downloadable toolkits, step-by-step guides, and case studies to help businesses navigate these complex changes. These resources provide timelines, implementation checklists, and clear explanations in plain English.
“The research highlights the low levels of awareness in the business community about the IR changes. This was reflected across all industry sectors, and demonstrates why Small Business Peak is so critical to the small business community.” said Achterstraat.
The Program has free downloadable toolkits and step-by-step guides in plain English, that explain the latest workplace changes, with timelines, implementation checklists and some case studies to help simplify the complex nature of these changes.
“Think of Small Business Peak as your workplace companion in simplifying IR complexities, allowing you to focus on what you do best – growing your business.” Achterstraat said.
Small businesses are encouraged to visit www.smallbusinesspeak.org.au for more information and to access the program’s resources. The Small Business Peak Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
To learn more about Small Business Peak, small businesses are encouraged to visit www.smallbusinesspeak.org.au.
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