Issue Date:  -  Friday, 23 April 2004

Answers for small business owners - Beechboro

The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection is conducting a series of seminars in Beechboro for small business owners on a range of important employment issues.

The seminars will be held at Altone Park Leisure Centre, Benara Road, Beechboro in coming weeks.

The seminars follow audits of time and wages records of 100 employers in suburban Malaga, Labour Relations Director of Compliance and Education Brian Appleby said today. 

“The audits found that although the majority of employers were found to be paying the correct wage rates, more than half the employers bound by industrial awards and agreements were not recording start and finishing times for their employees, “ Mr Appleby said.

Mr Appleby said that employers could be prosecuted for not maintaining accurate time and wages records, so it was important that employers understood their record keeping obligations.

“During the next six months, Industrial Inspectors from the department will carry out a compliance follow-up check in the Malaga area. These checks may include businesses that were not visited as part of the educational campaign.”

The seminars will cover topics that were shown to be of interest to employers who were visited during the audits in Malaga including time and wages records requirements, employment options and termination.

The first seminars will bring small business owners up to date on the current record keeping requirements highlighting the issues raised during the audits and will be held next Wednesday (28 April) from 9.30 – 11.30am, and Thursday (29 April) from 9.30 – 11.30am.

Employment options include Awards, Enterprise Bargaining Agreements and Employer Employee Agreements will be explained in the second series of seminars to be held on Monday 3 May from 9.30 – 11.30am, and Wednesday 5 May, from 9.30 – 11.30am.

The third series of seminars will focus on termination of employment including ways to minimise the risk of an unfair dismissal claim by following a fair process, and will be held on Monday 10 May from 9.30 – 11.30am and Wednesday 12 May from 9.30 – 11.30am.

Interested people can book at BOCS on 9484 1133 or log on to www.bocsticketing.com.au