Employee Rights and Representation

Question 1

An employee:

Answer 1

Provides labour or expertise in exchange for wages/ salary

Question 2

10 minimum entitlements of National employment standards:

Answer 2

• Maximum weekly hours
• Requests for flexible working arrangements
• Parental leave and related entitlements
• Annual leave
• Personal carers leave and compassionate leave
• Community service leave
• Long service leave
• Public holidays
• Notice of termination and redundancy pay
• Fair work information statement

Question 3

(Pay) - Employees have to be paid right amount of pay for all hours they work including:

Answer 3

• Training
• In team meetings
• Opening and closing the business
• Working unreasonable trial shifts
• Minimum wages
• Paid at least monthly
• Penalty rates

Question 4

Awards and agreements determine pay

Answer 4

Minimum conditions at work can come from registered agreements, awards and legislation

Question 5

Registered agreements in place:

Answer 5

Covers the work that the employee does

Question 6

No registered agreements in place:

Answer 6

Award covers the work that the employee does

Question 7

Different forms of unpaid work:

Answer 7

• Work experience and internships

- Student placements

Question 8

Reasons for unpaid work

Answer 8

• Experience in job or industry
• Test a person’s skills
• Volunteer time and effort for not-for-profit organisations

Question 9

Public holiday

Answer 9

Must be paid at least their base pay rate for all hours worked on a public holiday

Some enterprises can agree on awards for public holidays including:

• Extra pay
• Extra day off or annual leave
• Minimum shift lengths on public holidays
• Agreeing to substitute a public holiday for another day

Question 10

(Leave) Minimum leave entitlements (National employment standards)

Answer 10

• Annual leave
• Public holidays
• Long service
• Carers
• Compassionate
• Maternal and paternal

Question 11

Termination of employment (minimum amount of time)

Answer 11

Amount of continuous service:
1 year: 1 week
>1 year - 3 years: 2 weeks
>3 years - 5 years: 3 weeks
>5 years: 4 weeks

Question 12

Minimum dismissal time does not apply to:

Answer 12

Casual employees, people who are employed for a specific amount of time or task (contract), seasonal employees.

Question 13

Employee voice (Albert Hirschman)

Answer 13

Attempt to change rather than escape from an objectional state of affairs

Question 14

Contemporary definition of employee voice:

Answer 14

Variety of processes and structures which enable, and at times, empower employees directly and indirectly to contribute to decision making.

Question 15

Trade unions:

Answer 15

• Act as collective agents to protect and improve member’s wages and conditions through collective bargaining and other means
• Act as social agents by pursuing objectives that extend beyond workplace and community
• Provide members with a form of indirect employee voice in the workplace

Question 16

Importance of voice and representation (organisation)

Answer 16

Loyalty, reduced turnover, provide opportunity to resolve conflict, improve efficiency, get employee knowledge, build trust and partnership

Question 17

Importance of voice and representation (employees)

Answer 17

An entitlement or human right, means for self actualisation, articulate dissatisfaction, provides collective power, build trust and partnership

Question 18

Contemporary issues

Answer 18

• Technology
• Social media
• Ageing workplace
• Telework
• Flexibility
• Stress
• Bullying and harassment
• Fairness
• Empowerment or exploitation