Labour: new resources and advocacy updates
Business ManagementResources for changes to the Hort Award
To support employers in the upcoming changes to the Hort Award on April 28, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has released new resources on its website.
- Piecework arrangements employer checklist – a step by step checklist to guide employers in meeting their obligations under the new minimum hourly rate guarantee.
- Piecework record template – a template employers can use to create a piecework record that meets the award requirements applying from 28 April 2022.
Full details of the decision, employer obligations and requirements, including case studies are set out on the FWO website.
Additional resources will be released shortly.
Fruit Growers Tasmania (FGT) also have a collection of resources for industry, including a copy of their recent presentation, available via their website.
FGT are also holding a webinar for Tasmanian growers on March 31 to provide guidance on the Hort Award changes and obligations. More information here.
Ag Visa and advocacy update
While the announcement this week about Vietnam joining the Australian Ag Visa program is a promising development, agricultural labour for the coming months will still be reliant on the PALM scheme and domestic workers.
Securing local accommodation in growing regions can be a barrier for segments of the current labour pool, and provision of on-farm accommodation can greatly improve how attractive an employment opportunity is.
APAL is calling on the government to improve accommodation by providing increased tax benefits, such as accelerated depreciation, as well as assisting to address council bottlenecks.
“Allowing employers to invest in accommodation for the long term will support a sustainable labour approach and industry resilience,” APAL Head of Government Relations and Advocacy Jeremy Griffith said.
“Whereas we could once rely more heavily on backpackers for temporary seasonal labour, we no longer have any guarantees about that labour source for future seasons.”
