INTERNATIONAL NEWS:


AUSTRALIA: Company Loses Out for Firing Brawling Employees


The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has ruled in favour of two dismissed employees who assaulted their supervisor, due to a failure by the managing director to properly investigate the incident. An altercation between an employee and his supervisor


escalated into a verbal argument, followed by the employee assaulting the supervisor. Another employee also joined in before a second supervisor eventually defused the fight. The two supervisors then reported the incident to their managing director, Kaplan, who interviewed the employees individually. The first employee did not provide a detailed account of the incident, and Kaplan dismissed him. The second demanded the right to detail his account of the incident, and stated that the supervisor had also attacked him, and was also dismissed. Paul Hardman and Ben Keenan of Holding Redlich stated that the decision was reached due to Kaplan not carrying out a thorough investigation before dismissing the employees.While the FWC saw that dismissing the two employees for their assault was valid, neither were provided a meaningful opportunity to respond to the allegation before Kaplan made her decision. Kaplan‘s lack of HR training and limited experiencing managing workplace issues was also a factor.While not reinstated, the two employees were both awarded two weeks‘ wages as their dismissals were found to be unjust and unreasonable. Hardman and Keenan stressed that the incident is a reminder to all employers that proper procedure must be followed when dealing with allegations of misconduct.


Read more Knocking Out Bullying Once and for All


Workplace bullying is a problem that has persisted for years. Despite ongoing adjustments to legislation, workplace initiatives, and many organisations adopting zero-tolerance policies, Australia continues to be rocked by the devastating impact of workplace bullying. The Australian Productivity Commission estimates that workplace bullying costs Australia $6bn–$36bn per year, with research from Risk to Business (RtB) suggesting that as many as 30% of workers in Australia have experienced workplace bullying in the last 12 months. RtB‘s research has found that bullying is much more heavily linked to the ‗games and tournaments‘ played in an organisation and the general business culture than to arbitrary ideas of power over others. The revelation suggests the problem is indeed solvable. Business leaders must take a strong stance against bullying to help perpetuate a culture that proactively stamps it out. In the same way that bystanders can be influenced by bullies who dominate in the workforce, so too can leaders influence those around them if they take a stance. Sadly, RtB research indicates that many organisations don‘t do enough when evidence of bullying presents itself: 6% of Aussie workers claimed their employer made things worse; 23% of employers turned a blind eye; 40% did nothing at all; 4% victimised the person who complained; and only 16% made things better. Informing all employees of the workplace policies regarding bullying is important too, so they can then feel confident and empowered to speak up if they see bullying occur.


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CANADA CLC, Western University Launch Nationwide Workplace Survey On Domestic Violence


The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), working in partnership with researchers at Western University, has launched a national survey on the impact of domestic violence on workers and workplaces. ―The results of this survey will provide made-in-Canada research that will help unions, employers, advocates and governments develop good public policy as well as negotiate workplace supports,‖ said Barbara Byers, CLC executive vice- president. ―Unions have worked hard to pressure governments to pass workplace violence legislation that offers some protection for workers experiencing violence at home, but it is still not enough.‖


Domestic violence is devastating the lives of Canadian workers and it is costing Canadian workplaces in lost productivity, absenteeism and turnover, said Barb MacQuarrie, community director, Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children at Western University in London, Ont. ―This survey will help all of us to realize that what happens at home can have a profound impact on what happens at work," she said. "Then it will help us to understand the opportunities to keep workers and the whole workplace safe.‖ Linda Silas,


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