News and resources

Prevalence of AI use in the workplace With the exponential growth in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at work, a question which arises is, who is responsible for AI mistakes? More than a third of Australians say they use AI at work several times a week – eight per cent use it many times […]

We hear a lot about legal cases being argued in court and judgments being handed down. But why does a person appear in one court and not another? What do the various courts in NSW actually do? Structure of courts in NSW The court structure in Australia is shaped like a pyramid. At the base […]

Falling from a height is the leading cause of traumatic injuries and fatalities in the NSW construction industry, closely followed by construction site accidents involving electricity. Alarming rate of construction site accidents Safe Work Australia statistics are disturbing: in the year 2022-23 there were 36 fatalities in the construction industry. Construction accidents led to 16,647 […]

One of the items on our website – Can your boss force you to work weekends? – continues to attract enquiries, despite being published in 2012. This article is an update. Discussing whether or not employees can be made to work out of hours requires reference to the way in which the “rules” around employment […]

A Workers Compensation Bill before the NSW Parliament would significantly change workers compensation laws, in particular the way psychological injury in the workplace is assessed and dealt with by authorities. New Workers Compensation Bill aims to keep scheme sustainable The original Workers Compensation Exposure Draft included provisions requiring people who experience sexual harassment or racial […]

All areas of the law evolve under the stimulus of societal change, and few areas evolve more quickly than that of employment law. The pace of change in the field of employment law can make it hard to keep up with what’s happening, and this is made harder by the complex tapestry of legal sources […]

Jumping castle an attraction at school event Although more than three years have passed since the Tasmanian jumping castle accident, the tragedy is still fresh in our minds. On 16 December 2021 there was an event, the “Big Day In” at Hillcrest Public School in Devonport, on the north coast of Tasmania. The weather was […]

NSW firefighters face a higher cancer risk than the general population and they need to be aware there are special avenues for them to claim workers compensation entitlements. Cancer risk for firefighters significantly higher than for general population A study by Monash University found the overall cancer rates for full-time firefighters were significantly higher than […]

The NSW Supreme Court recently ruled that a school had failed in its legal duty of care for a 14-year-old boy after he suffered an unprovoked attack, even though it occurred outside school hours and beyond the school grounds. Student attacked outside school gate after end of school day The former Sydney schoolboy won $1.75 […]

Farm injuries are unfortunately quite common – farming can be a dangerous occupation. Work on farms accounts for one in every five workplace deaths in NSW, with quad bikes, heavy vehicles, animal handling, biosecurity hazards, machinery, tree accidents and electrical work among the most common hazards. Farm injuries report demonstrates need for farm work safety […]

A strata owners corporation of commercial premises was recently convicted in the NSW District Court after a damaged heavy gate fell on a worker, resulting in his death. First conviction of owners corporation for failing to prevent industrial accident SafeWork NSW, which brought the court action, said it was the first conviction of an owners […]

Police deal with terrible traumatic incidents in the course of their work, which can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Not only do they investigate violent crimes, where they are often first on the scene of gruesome murders, but many also face personal threats or attacks by angry or deranged members of the public. […]

Pay dispute between rail workers and transport authorities The dynamics of industrial relations have much in common with the game of poker. Successful players can conceal their thoughts from opponents and bluff them into misreading the strengths and weaknesses of a hand. Over the past few months, NSW transport authorities, and the transport unions, have […]

Back pain is one of the most common injuries for nurses and paramedics, often caused by hurriedly lifting patients or equipment in high-pressure settings. This can lead to a lower back injury strain, rotator cuff injuries and tendonitis. Slips, trips and falls also contribute to these injuries. Nurses dealing with staffing shortages, increased workloads and […]

For the first time, 16-year-olds in Europe were allowed to vote in the June 2024 election for the European parliament, and they turned out in droves. Where can 16-year-olds vote? Sixteen-year-olds can vote in a number of countries, including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Germany, Malta, Nicaragua and Scotland. Now there is a […]

Recent changes to labour hire laws are designed to ensure labour hire workers get the same pay as the host company’s regular employees who are doing the same work. Legislation to stop use of labour hire to undercut permanent employees The changes are detailed in one of two pieces of Commonwealth legislation called Closing Loopholes, […]

Starting 1 October 2024, police insurance arrangements in NSW are changing. Police Blue Ribbon Insurance (PBRI) is being replaced by the Enhanced Police Support Scheme (EPSS), which introduces changes to Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) coverage for officers. What is Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance? TPD insurance is often included as default cover in […]

It’s nine o’clock at night and you are relaxing at home watching a movie before heading to bed. Suddenly the phone rings. It’s the boss calling to discuss a meeting to be held tomorrow at work. You sigh – wishing you could disconnect from your work at this late hour – but you take the […]