CANADA ITALY

AUSTRALIA

Basic Employment Law

CANADABasic Employment Law

ITALYBasic Employment Law

AUSTRALIABasic Employment Law

The Standard

The Standard is enforceable under the Workplace Relations Act 1996.

Employers must provide entitlements which are equal to or more favourable than the Standard.

The 5 Standard Entitlements1. basic rates of pay2. hours of work3. annual leave4. personal / carer’s and

compassionate leave5. unpaid parental leave.

1. Basic Rates of Pay

As of October 1, 2008, wage rates are: - Minimum Wage: $14.31/hr or

$531.78/week- Pay Scales: an increase of $0.57 per

hour or $21.66/week for adult rates of pay

*Based on 38 hour work week

1. Basic Rates of Pay

Minimum Wage applies to employees who are: with a disability full-time and part-time casual (who also get a 20 per cent casual loading) piece rate workers.

It does NOT apply to employees who are: covered by a pay scale junior employees employees with a disability working under a registered training scheme.

3.1 Minimum/Maximum Age

NSW, NT, SA, TAS-14 years and 9 months, unless worker can provide written consent and

demonstrate in interview that they are able to fulfill the required positionVIC-15 years of ageQLD-16 years of age. If 10-16 years, must provide parental consent. *employees

under 16 may only work 12 hours during a school weekWA-15 years of age. Under 15 may only work between 6am-930pmACT-school leaving age (15 years). Under 15 can work a maximum of 10 hours to

week, and must obtain approval from Chief Executive of the Department of Housing, Disability and Community Services.

Maximum: There is NO statutory required retirement age in Australia. Qualifying age is around 60-65.

2. Hours of Work

An employer can't require or request an employee to work:

• more than 38 hours per week plus reasonable additional hours

• an average of 38 hours per week in up to 12 months (if the employee and the employer agree in writing) plus reasonable additional hours.

3. Annual Leave (Vacation)An employee can get: 4 weeks for each 12 months. 5 weeks for some continuous shift workers

for each 12 months. Note: This doesn't apply to casuals. People who work more than 38 hours per

week can get 4 full weeks off work - but are only entitled to get paid for 4 x 38 hours. The remainder is without pay under the Standard.

3. Annual Leave (Vacation)How much is the employee paid? The employer must pay annual leave

at the employee's basic periodic rate of pay, at the time the leave is taken.

This means the rate of pay for a period worked. It doesn't include separate entitlements, such as incentive-based payments and bonuses, loadings, or monetary allowances.

3.1 Public Holidays

1 January (New Year’s Day)26 January (Australia Day)Good FridayEaster Monday25 April (Anzac Day)25 December (Christmas Day)26 December (Boxing Day)

4. Personal Leave

Personal leave under the Australian Fair Pay and Conditions Standard (the Standard) includes:

paid sick leave: for all employees, but not casuals

paid carer's leave: for all employees, but not casuals

unpaid carer's leave: for all employees, including casuals

paid compassionate leave: for all employees, but not casuals.

4. Personal Leave

Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to:  Paid sick and paid carer's leave = 10 days each year for

employees who work a 38-hour week. Unpaid carer's leave = 2 days per occasion (if paid leave has been

used). A maximum of ten days of paid carer’s leave may be taken each year (regardless of an employee’s cumulative personal leave balance.

Paid compassionate leave = 2 days per occasion. *Casual employees are not entitled to paid personal leave, but are entitled to unpaid carer's

leave. How much is the employee paid?How much is the employee paid? The employer must pay personal leave at the employee's basic

periodic rate of pay, at the time the leave is taken. This means, rate of pay for a period worked. It doesn't include

separate entitlements, such as incentive-based payments and bonuses, loadings, or monetary allowances.

5. Unpaid Parental Leave

How much parental leave does an employee get? To get parental leave, the employee must have

worked for the employer for 12 months or more in either a full-time, part-time or casual position.

Note: Casuals are eligible for parental leave only if the employer has engaged them on a regular and systematic basis for 12 months or more. They must also reasonably expect to have continued working for the employer if they weren't having or adopting a child.

5. Unpaid Parental Leave

Maternity leave A minimum of 6 weeks leave immediately after the birth of their child if new

mothers take maternity leave. Up to 52 weeks unpaid leave if the primary caregiver. (Called 'ordinary

maternity leave'.) Note: There's also special maternity leave and help for mothers who can't do

their usual job because of their pregnancy.Paternity leave Up to 52 weeks unpaid leave if the primary caregiver. (Called 'long paternity

leave'.) Up to 1 week unpaid leave for fathers who aren't the primary caregiver.

(Called 'short paternity leave'.) Adoption leave Up to 52 weeks unpaid leave if the primary caregiver. (Called 'long adoption

leave'.) Up to 3 weeks continuous unpaid leave. (Called 'short adoption leave'.) 2 days unpaid leave to attend interviews or exams to adopt the child. (Called

'pre-adoption leave'.) This is unless the employer wants the adopting parent to take other leave they have available.

Equality

It's important employers consider the specific needs of their employees when creating a workplace agreement.

A term of a workplace agreement is void (not legal) if it discriminates against an employee on the basis of a physical or mental disability. This is considered 'prohibited content'.

It's not discriminatory to offer differing rates of pay for employees with a disability in a workplace agreement, as long as the rates of pay meet the Standard.

The Australian Government believes that all Australians need to be able to play a full role in all aspects of Australian life.  To be socially included, all Australians must be given the opportunity to:

secure a job; access services; connect with family, friends, work, personal interests and local

community; deal with personal crisis; and have their voices heard.

Labour Law Links

http://www.workplace.gov.au/

http://www.workplaceauthority.gov.au