Author: Phil Parisis

Ahhh Valentine’s Day.
That annual reminder that beneath your crisp business attire, you still have feelings. Questionable ones. Feelings that make people think a heart-shaped chocolate is a good idea in a professional setting.
It’s also the day when someone’s awkward lunch date turns out to be a colleague, someone sends a “cheeky” message they absolutely should not have sent, and HR quietly clears their calendar for next week.

Bereavement leave in Australia is more than a legal entitlement. It is a critical moment where workplace reasonableness and empathy must come together. This article explores how employers can respond compassionately and lawfully when employees experience loss, balancing operational needs with human understanding. We outline practical steps for managers, HR teams, and business owners to create supportive policies that respect grief, encourage open communication, and build a culture of genuine workplace empathy.

The Zac Lomax legal dispute highlights the risks hidden in employment contracts. Learn what Australian employers must know about restraint clauses.

A recent decision of the Fair Work Commission highlights the risks of treating emotional or ambiguous text messages as resignations. In this case, the Commission found that an employer acted prematurely by accepting a frustrated employee’s messages as a resignation without allowing time for clarification. The ruling reinforces that resignation requires clear intent, proper confirmation, and fair process — and that missteps can expose employers to dismissal claims.

A Fair Work Commission decision shows why work-from-home clauses don’t replace clear policies. Learn how Australian employers can manage hybrid work lawfully.

The Compliance Affair HR Command’s monthly briefing on the compliance risks that actually matter The Overview Payday super. Parental leave changes. AI governance questions your exec team hasn’t thought of […]

A recent Fair Work Commission decision is a timely reminder that allegations of theft must be handled carefully. Even where misconduct appears serious, employers must still have evidence and follow a fair process before dismissing an employee.

Ending employment is one of the most sensitive and risk-prone areas in Australian workplace relations. Whether it is a performance issue, redundancy, misconduct, or probation failure, every step in the […]

How businesses can prepare for Australia’s first explicit WHS duties for AI and digital work systems. Digital tools now play a huge role in how work is allocated, tracked and […]