By Aimee Chanthadavong
The Fair Work Ombudsman has indicated that retailers will be targeted in a new campaign to ensure they comply with the Modern Retail Award, Enterprise Agreements, and the National Employment Standards.
A Fair Work Ombudsman spokesperson told RetailBiz that Fair Work Ombudsman has been making informal educational visits to businesses in NSW to assist employers to understand national workplace laws.
“These educational visits – which are being made to employers in a range of industries, including retail – aim to provide extra assistance to employers previously covered by the NSW industrial relations system to help them adjust to the new national workplace relations system,” he said.
“The face-to-face educational visits give employers the opportunity to ask inspectors any questions they have about national workplace laws, including the National Employment Standards and Modern Awards.”
Fair Work inspectors will be providing information packs to employers previously covered by the NSW industrial relations system but who are now under the national workplace relations system. It includes advice on practical steps employers can take to adjust to the new system and fact sheets.
“More than 20,000 of these educational visits have been conducted around the country and several thousand more will be conducted this year,” the Fair Work Ombudsman spokesperson said.
Other industries that are also being targeted as part of this campaign include cleaning, clerical, hair and beauty, security and horticulture.
The campaign follows a recent investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman which resulted in a national retailer being required to pay almost $1,000,000 in arrears of wages and a $300,000 enforceable undertaking.