Monthly Archives: June 2019

Mobile app helps workers record working hours

The ‘Record My Hours’ mobile phone app makes it quick and easy for workers to keep a personal record of the hours they work for pay and visa purposes. The Fair Work Ombudsman strongly encourages all employers to keep proper employee records including hours worked and rates of pay and to issue payslips to all […]

Changes to pay rates

New pay rates for casual workers Casual workers in horticulture are now entitled to overtime payment in certain conditions and should get familiar with their entitlements under the Hort Award. A recent decision by the Fair Work Commission that changes the Hort Award, which sets the base pay rate for people working in horticulture, means […]

Worker profile – Alex & Jill

Fly fishing lures couple to Tasmania to grade potatoes By Peter Angel, State Manager – National Labour Hire Information Service, MADEC The chance to do some fly fishing and meeting some friendly Aussies attracted Jill and Alex to Tasmania where they are grading potatoes to qualify for a second-year visa. First choice not Australia When young American couple […]

Legal workers – how to cover yourself

By Peter Angel, NHLIS State Manager, MADEC Whose responsibility is it to check workers are legal? If you are an employer it is your legal responsibility to ensure your workers have the right to work. Using a labour hire contractor to avoid that obligation yourself is still fraught with danger; there are some circumstances where […]

Horticulture award changes

Get ready to manage the Hort Award changes Make sure you are ready for the changes that have occurred to the Horticulture Award, which mean casual workers are entitled to overtime payments in certain conditions. Hort award changes – are you ready? The most significant changes to the Horticulture Award since 2010 now mean that all casual workers […]

National labour hire licensing

National labour hire licensing is coming – and it’s good news for horticulture By Rob Hayes, State Manager – National Harvest Labour Information Service, MADEC A national labour hire licensing scheme for horticulture was announced by the Liberal party prior to their re-election. Now, with new Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie at the helm, growers need […]