In a potential signal ahead of this year's annual wage review, New Zealand will next month raise its minimum wage by 6% on the back of higher-than-expected inflation.
Private sector rates of pay excluding bonuses increased by 2.4% annually in the December quarter, unchanged from the September quarter, but accelerated slightly over the last three months of the year, according to the ABS.
A spike in consumer price inflation, confirmed by the ABS today, might combine with labour shortages to put pressure on wage rises, which remain near historic lows.
An IR specialist has told a labour law conference that if employees can demonstrate it will not reduce productivity or service, it might become increasingly difficult for employers to validly refuse flexibility requests for four-day working weeks.
The ACTU's bid for 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave has been bolstered by new FWC-commissioned research indicating that a third of recent agreements have a paid entitlement and half of those deals provide at least the quantum the peak body is seeking.
The ACCC says IR has played a "pivotal role" in inhibiting productivity and efficiency gains at Australian ports, citing clauses in enterprise agreements that restrict recruitment decisions and automation.
As artificial intelligence-based systems for recruitment and selection of employees have moved from the "periphery" to "centre stage" in the past decade, their largely unregulated and poorly understood use has given rise to transparency issues and discrimination risks, according to a leading IR academic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has spawned five distinct work-from-home models, according to the authors of a FWC-commissioned study that found formal policies and relatively fixed hours are key to a successful WFH strategy.
Three in five women encounter difficulties at work due to menopause and many are leaving at what might be the "peak of their experience", according to a UK inquiry that is hearing how to provide better support.
