Divergent Therapies & Solutions - Lived Experienced Networking

02/10/2025

Minimum pay rates are increasing for eligible employees in the aged care and health sectors, including direct aged care workers and some nurses.

These increases apply from the first full pay period starting on (or after) 1 October 2025.

Note the full increase has already taken effect for some employees so they won’t receive any additional increase as part of these changes.

01/10/2025

Safe Work Australia has made recent amendments to the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, specifying employers’ obligation to manage psychosocial risks in the workplace. These changes, along with the new Model Code of Practice on managing psychosocial hazards at work, are a welcome recognition of the profound impact that workplace stressors can have on mental health, and a fundamental step forward.

This data shows there is still much work to do though to ensure the effective implementation of these measures in workplaces across Australia.

Read more in our latest CEO Update: https://mhaustralia.org/newsletters-bulletins/ceo-update-championing-mental-health-workplace

01/10/2025

01/10/2025

Most jobs involve some psychosocial hazards. These are the hazards that can harm workers' mental health. Under the model WHS laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), such as an employer, must manage psychosocial risks (e.g. risks to m...

01/10/2025

Employers have to give every new employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement (the FWIS) before, or as soon as possible after, they start their new job.

The FWIS provides new employees with information about their conditions of employment.

It has information on:
• the National Employment Standards
• right to request flexible working arrangements
• modern awards
• making agreements under the Fair Work Act 2009
• individual flexibility arrangements
• freedom of association and workplace rights (general protections)
• termination of employment
• right of entry
• the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman and Fair Work Commission.

The FWIS is available in a number of different languages.

Casuals also need to be given a copy of the Casual Employee Information Statement.
Find out more or get a copy from our website: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards/fair-work-information-statement

01/10/2025

Do you know the rules when it comes to underperformance?

Underperformance is when an employee isn't doing their job properly or is behaving in an unacceptable way at work.

Underperformance can happen when employees:
❗️ are not carrying out their work to the required standard (or not doing their job at all)
❗️are not following workplace policies, rules or procedures
❗️ engage in unacceptable behaviour at work, like telling inappropriate jokes
❗️ are disruptive or display negative behaviour at work, like constantly speaking negatively about the company.

An employer should generally give employees a chance to fix any performance issues before they take further action, like dismissing them.

And while they’re well within their rights to ask you to address performance issues, they can’t dock your pay because they think you’re underperforming.

Remember, reasonable performance management that’s carried out in a reasonable way is not bullying.

Find out more about underperformance and warnings: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/managing-performance-and-warnings -to-do-when-underperformance-happens

01/10/2025

How are psychosocial hazards managed in your workplace?

Psychosocial hazards are things that can cause harm to your mental health at work, including:

🔥 job demands, like working long hours or having a high workload
🤬 violence and aggression, bullying and harassment
⚠️ poor support, like not receiving the training and resources you need to do your job.

Your employer must eliminate the risks from these hazards, or, if this is not reasonably practicable, minimise the risks as much as possible.
A pizza party might seem like a good way to thank the team for working long hours, but this does not eliminate or reduce the hazard of high job demands in the first place 🍕❌

Visit our website for more information on psychosocial hazards, and talk to your employer or representative about how they’re managed in your workplace- https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/mental-health