NECA launches plain English guide to Modern Award
5 April 2011
NECA launches plain English guide to Modern Award
Electrical contractors and other companies employing staff under the Electrical, Electronics and Communications Contracting Award will have access to a plain English guide to the Modern Award and a free online webinar thanks to peak national industry body, the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA).
NECA received funding for the Shared Industry Assistance Program (SIAP) managed by the Fair Work Ombudsman and launched the online webinars today (5 April 2011) on the NECA website.
NECA is the only national employer body federally registered with Fair Work Australia that has core coverage of the electrical and communications contracting industry.
The SIAP project involves two key resources for the electrical industry:
• A Practical Guide to the Modern Award and National Employment Standards that will provide a plain English explanation of the majority of the provisions of the Modern Award
• A digital video webinar on the Modern Award that will be available on the NECA website
NECA chief executive officer, Mr James Tinslay, said today’s launch of the online webinars was the culmination of a six-month project and will provide every electrical contractor in Australia a simple yet thorough guide to what is a challenging area for many business owners.
“NECA is very pleased to be working with Fair Work Australia again to develop these resources for the industry. The guides will definitely help contractors interpret the provisions of the Award correctly,” Mr Tinslay said.
“NECA exists to help effectively contractors manage their businesses and this six-month project will help with what is a big issue for any business owner - fulfilling your obligations under the Fair Work Act.”
Mr Oliver Judd, the Fair Work Liaison Officer at NECA, said that while NECA members have always had access to support of this nature, the SIAP initiative will help contractors who traditionally have managed compliance on their own.
“NECA provides its members with simple information, advice and tools on workplace relations issues as one of its core functions,” Mr Judd said.
“Thanks to NECA and the Fair Work Ombudsman, electrical contractors across Australia can consult a practical guide and watch a simple video that will help them make the right business decisions. These guides will take the worry out of workplace relations matters.”
NECA was the only employer organisation that represented electrical contractors during the Award Modernisation process in 2009 and the tremendous outcome of maintaining an independent Electrical, Electronics and Communications Contracting Award only occurred after many hundreds of hours of consultation.
The guide and webinars are now available from the NECA website
Any company that needs assistance with provisions in the Electrical, Electronics and Communications Contracting Award can receive free advice if they are a NECA Member by contacting their relevant NECA State Chapter.
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