The National Farmers’ Federation, with support from the Australian Government, is hosting free seminars across regional Australia from September 2009 to help agricultural producers understand how new workplace relations laws will affect agricultural employers.

The new national workplace relations system commenced, in part, on 1 July 2009, with the remainder effective from 1 January 2010.

There are significant changes that will affect all agricultural producers who employ staff.

The three-hour information seminars will cover the following aspects of the new laws:

•The new National Employment Standard that applies to all employees;
•Unfair dismissal laws, including how small businesses must comply;
•New arrangements for enterprise bargaining;
•Application of modern awards in the agriculture industry;
•Understanding the new structures of Fair Work Australia and the Fair Work Ombudsman; and
•Impacts of industrial relations referral of powers by State Governments.

The seminars will be presented by experienced agricultural workplace relations advisors and will provide an opportunity to consider the workplace relations changes in an industry specific setting.

Further information about the seminars can be found here:

http://www.vff.org.au/main/images/events/Forums_Workshops_Seminars/workplace%20seminars%202009.pdf