October is finally here, and we are three weeks or less from hitting the 70 per cent target to start the reopening. It’s within sight now, and we can finally start to think about waving goodbye to lockdowns forever. The Victorian Chamber is continuing our push for the State Government to revise openings at both the 70 and 80 per cent targets.

Businesses and workers have sacrificed, suffered and done their bit to protect us all from COVID-19. They stayed closed, in some cases without work, pivoted their services to keep Victorians employed and many lost what they had spent years building. Businesses across the State are in crisis.

Casual employment can provide much needed flexibility for businesses, enabling them to quickly expand their workforce to meet demand. However, any business relying on casual labour shouldn’t look at it as a quick fix. Getting it right takes planning, paperwork and proactive management.

The Fair Work Commission has determined an employer who cut a rail worker’s pay by almost $14,000 constituted a dismissal, giving the employee the green light to pursue an unfair dismissal claim.

I had a close friend message me from London on the weekend, as he sat comfortably in a coffee shop on Regent Street.

More than 1300 businesses across all sectors, sizes and regions provided feedback to the Victorian Chamber on the State Government’s Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan and viewpoints on vaccination conditions. Here are the results.

Given the numerous lockdowns, restrictions and uncertainty faced by employees as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers are finding themselves carrying the financial burden of increasing leave accrual - or, in a position where they are struggling to cover gaps due to long-term absences. Understanding leave entitlements and what an employer can and cannot do in this space is vital. The Victorian Chamber encourages businesses to act now to ensure responsibilities and obligations are understood.

Sunday was not the news we wanted. The roadmap fell short: short of hope, short of NSW and short of where we need to be moving to as a state.

Working from home doesn’t mean workplace conflict is a thing of the past. In fact, statistics show it is on the rise. Managing conflict quickly and making the most of virtual tools will help reduce ongoing disputes and legal risks.

The Fair Work Commission has found a childcare centre unfairly dismissed an employee when it casually sent the staff member a “notice of non-renewal” via email with no prior warning.

Working to conquer ‘invisible barriers’ and the challenges faced by job seekers from diverse backgrounds, not-for-profit organisation JobsBank continues to successfully drive change and uphold a commitment to increasing employer inclusivity and fill workforce gaps.

The Fair Work Commission has found an employee accused of stealing a cake was unfairly dismissed.

Well, there was a welcome shifting of narrative late last week, and we are now clearly focused on a vaccination-based opening. The past week has been tough, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The VCCI's new self-assessment tool will help you determine if you have sufficient knowledge and processes within key areas to ensure you understand your obligations.

VCCI's Workplace Relations team is often called by businesses at the point of desperation. Here is a guide on how to prevent an unengaged workforce and dismissal related claims.

Fair Work Commission finds a five-day break between resigning from a fixed-term position and working a casual shift was not a ‘break in service,’ opening a claim for unfair dismissal.