The Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS) gives details to employees about their conditions of employment in accordance with the National Employment Standards (NES). The FWIS explains each of the National Employment Standards and gives information about Awards, Agreements, the role of the Fair Work Commission & Fair Work Ombudsman, termination, and flexibility arrangements.

All new employees (including casual employees) that have commenced employment after 1 January 2010 should receive a copy of the FWIS. You should give the FWIS to all new employees before their employment starts or as soon as practicable after the employee starts work, ideally at the same time as they are given their employment contract.

Employers have to give every new casual employee a Casual Employment Information Statement (the CEIS) before, or as soon as possible after, they start their new job.

Employers also have to give every new casual employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement (the FWIS) at the same time.

The CEIS has information about:
• the definition of a casual employee
• when an employer has to offer casual conversion
• when an employer doesn’t have to offer casual conversion
• when a casual employee can request casual conversion
• casual conversion entitlements of casual employees employed by small business employers
• the role of the Fair Work Commission to deal with disputes about casual conversion.

Yes.  Employees should receive a payslip within one day of pay day.

“Immediate family” is defined in the Fair Work Act to mean: a spouse, de facto partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the employee or a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of a spouse or a de facto of the employee.

A 38 hour week is the maximum for a full time employee, unless additional hours are reasonable.

You can, but employees need to know what you expect.

If you require your employees to provide a medical certificate for an absence, you should state this in your Leave Policy.

Annual leave (also known as holiday leave) allows an employee to be paid while they have time off from work.

Permanent employees are entitled to 4 weeks annual leave per year.

Permanent employee are entitled to 20 days annual leave.

Part time employees accrue leave on a pro rata basis.

Casual employees aren’t entitled to annual leave.

As an employer, you can direct an employee to take annual leave, but the request has to be reasonable.

Employees can be directed to take annual leave during a shut down and are paid annual leave entitlements, if they don’t have any annual leave, they may take leave without pay.

If an employee has accumulated excess annual leave, they can also be directed to take annual leave.

Details are usually stated in the Award or Agreement.

Personal/Carer’s leave is taken by an employee when they are sick or if they have to care for an immediate family member or household member.

Sick leave can be used when an employee is ill or injured.

An employee may have to take time off to care for an immediate family or household member who is sick or injured or help during a family emergency. This is known as carer’s leave but it comes out of the employee’s personal leave balance.

Permanent employee are entitled to 20 days personal/carer’s leave.

Part time employees accrue leave on a pro rata basis.

Casual employees aren’t entitled to paid personal/carer’s leave but they are entitled to unpaid carer’s leave.

Community service leave is available for activities such as: a voluntary emergency management activity, jury duty, including attendance for jury selection.