In order to meet jewellery retailers’ increasing concerns about changing employment laws, the JAA has turned to workplace relations consultancy, EMA Consulting, for advice.
JAA CEO Ian Hadassin said the Association had partnered with the legal consultancy as “we have been receiving more inquiries from members with regard to employment issues”.
“Since the launching of the Modern Award a few years back, and its phasing in over five years, the employment landscape has become extremely complicated − so much so that the average retailer has, and will continue to find, great difficulty in meeting the ever-changing requirements.”
He said many JAA members didn’t have “the luxury of an in-house HR manager or lawyer” so the JAA was often the first point-of-call for staff issues.
“Obviously we don’t have the expertise in this area of the law so this prompted us to source a suitable professional organisation to offer our members an advisory service,” he said.
“A Fair Work Ombudsman’s Retail Campaign report found 26 percent of retailers were non-compliantwhen it came to industrial relations laws and as the leading industry body we need to ensure our members protect their interests and have access to vital staffing information.
“The bottom line is that businesses accomplish results through their people so it is important that business owners and managers truly treat employees as their most important resource.”
He said EMA would provide JAA members with advice on all employment-related matters including pay rates and entitlements, discipline and termination, and restructuring and redundancy.