30 -day union rule for new employees to be discarded

It is part of a set of changes in work laws that are progressed by the Minister of Relations and Safety of the Workplace, Brooke Van Velden.

Van Velden said the changes would support freedom of choice and reduce employers’ burden when new employees begin a job.

“Currently, if a collective contract is in force, the employee’s individual contract must reflect the terms of the collective contract and this applies for 30 days, regardless of whether an employee chooses to enter a union or not.

“Not only is the status quo complicated and confusing, the process adds another administrative cost beyond many others, and these costs are dragging the productivity of the workplace.”

The minister said that the removal of the 30 -day rule meant employees and employers would be free to agree with a wider range of employment terms, including those that differ from the collective employment contract for someone’s first month.

“If a new employee chooses to negotiate the terms and conditions appropriate to their personal preferences or situation, this choice must be made from the first day of employment.”

She added that an additional benefit to the change would be that 90 -day rehearsals, which were restored under the coalition, could start at the beginning of someone’s work if the employee chooses an individual employment contract.

“Expanding the availability of 90 -day rehearsals was a commitment of ACT’s national coalition and supports workers who may have difficulty getting employment and also giving employers more confidence in hiring.”

The government is also making changes in the way employers communicate and reporting to the union association for new employees.

Employers will no longer need to use the ‘active choice form’, created by the previous labor government, and unions will no longer have the ability to provide information on the function and functions of unions, which the employer must transmit to the employee.

Van Velden said employers will still need to report that the employee can enter a union that is part of the collective employment contract, such as contacting the union and that if the employee joins the union, the collective employment contract will link the employee.

Changes will be included in the Employment Relations Amendment project that will be introduced this year and is expected to be approved by the end of 2025.