The Australian Retailers Association, with support of the Australian Government, is launching a series of free seminars to educate retailers and their employees about their obligations under the new Fair Work legislation.
The ARA has started this initiative to ensure retailers are aware of their commitments under the new reforms and avoid penalties for non-compliance.
Yvonne Anderson, ARA employment relations spokesperson, commented on how the seminars will help both metropolitan and regional retailers gain access to the critical information.
“With the federal overhaul of industrial relations legislation, the ARA is working with the Australian Government to ensure retailers have a clear and complete understanding of their new workplace obligations,” she said.
“Often retailers in remote areas miss out on critical information regarding changes to legislation, but we’re doing our best to make sure business owners from every corner of Australia have the opportunity to understand and comply with the new workplace laws.”
Some of the topics covered in the free seminars and webinars will be: 10 new National Employment Standards, modern awards, unfair dismissals, Fair Dismissal Code for small business, collective bargaining, union right of entry, transfer of business and employer compliance.
Seminars will run from September 2009 to March 2010 and if retailers are interested in registering they are encouraged to visit the ARA website at www.retail.org.au.