Our top five HR news stories for the week.
1. Right to Disconnect Laws Extend to SMEs
2. Guide Released for Correcting Underpayments
3. Employers Exploiting Young Workers
4. HR Professionals Seeking New Roles at Record Levels
Just over half of HR practitioners in Australia plan to change jobs in the coming 12 months, while around a fifth are actively looking for a new role now. The top motivators are salary increases (29%) and professional growth (27%). This talent shortage may impact your ability to recruit HR professionals and suggests reviewing retention strategies for existing HR staff. [source]
5. Labor Government Introduces Penalty Rate Protection Bill
The Federal Government tabled the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025 this week, preventing award variations from reducing or removing penalty rates for around 2.6 million workers. This legislation ensures weekend, public holiday, and overtime rates remain protected under the modern award safety net, providing cost-of-living relief for award-reliant employees across WA’s service and retail sectors. [source]
