Proposed Amendments On The Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014

Synopsis This document investigates the proposed amendments in the Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014 (Cth) as approved by the Senate’s Education and Employment Legislation Committee in June 2014 (EELC 2014). Specifically, it investigates four key amendments relating to Greenfields Agreements: 1. Implementation of good faith bargaining principles 2. Three-month negotiation timeframe 3. Optional notification of unions 4. Additional approval criteria After considering insights from several conflicting viewpoints, it is recommended that the first two changes are approved, that the third is altered and that the fourth is rejected. Introduction The Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014 (Cth) addresses 10 key issues that will lead to improvement of the†¦show more content†¦Greenfields Agreements Greenfields are an unique type of enterprise agreement which is usually made before any employees have been engaged at a new enterprise (FWC 2014). This is particularly useful for firms as it provides certainty about their labour costs which is often essential to secure finance and approval for projects (EELC 2014). Over two thirds of Greenfields agreements occur in the construction industry, with a further 5.2 per cent occurring in the mining industry (EM 2014). Current Situation Currently they must be formed between the employer and the union(s) that are best able to represent a majority of the employees that will be covered by the agreement (EM 2014). Additionally, they are not subject to good faith bargaining principles. The Liberal Party (2013) highlight the dire state that certain employers are in. At the moment, Greenfields negotiations are vulnerable to disruption by unions and firms are often forced into agreeing to unions exorbitant demands for wages and conditions, to minimise delays (FWRP 2012). It means that many employees are idle or caught up in lengthy bargaining processes, where as they could be more efficiently utilised engaging in formal work. This creates added costs for employers. However the alternative to start a project without a greenfield agreement in place leaves even less protection. Under this alternative businesses are vulnerable to protected industrial action as

Major Depressive Disorder ( Mdd ) - 1428 Words

Major Depressive Disorder is defined as a â€Å"moderate-to-severe mood disorder in which a person experiences only major depressive episodes but no hypomanic, manic, or mixed episodes† (Butcher, Hooley, Mineka, 2014, p. 618). Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is also referred to Major Depression. MDD is also â€Å"characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities. Major depression is disabling and prevents a person from functioning normally. Some people may experience only a single episode within their lifetime, but more often a person may have multiple episodes† (National Instittute of Mental Health, 2014, p. 2) Forms of Major Depressive Disorder†¦show more content†¦Postpartum depression is described as â€Å"more serious than the ‘baby blues’ that many women experience after giving birth, when hormonal and physical changes and the new responsibility of caring for a newborn can be overwhelming. It is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of women experience postpartum depression after giving birth (National Institutes of Health (NIH), 2014). Finally yet importantly, is Seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD. SAD is â€Å"characterized by the onset of depression during the winter months, when there is less natural sunlight. The depression generally lifts during spring and summer. SAD may be effectively treated with light therapy, but nearly half of those with SAD do not get better with light therapy alone. Antidepressant medication and psychotherapy can reduce SAD symptoms, either alone or in combination with light therapy† (National Institutes of Health (NIH), 2014). There are more forms of depression but the one that will be focused on is Major Depressive Disorder. Causes of MDD Major Depressive Disorder is typically â€Å"caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors† (National Instittute of Mental Health, 2014, p. 6). The genetic factor of MDD has â€Å"shown that the prevalence of mood disorders is approximately two to three times higher among blood

Renewable Energy Generation In Pakistan Environmental Sciences Essay Free Essays

Pakistan has rich energy beginnings but unluckily these rich beginnings of energy have non been utilized so far. To run into this Remedy Government of Pakistan ( Ministry of Power and Development ) formulized a scheme named â€Å" Policy for development of Renewable energy beginnings † . This policy made Pakistan usage of its energy beginnings in a efficient manner in its first stage widening up to June 2008. We will write a custom essay sample on Renewable Energy Generation In Pakistan Environmental Sciences Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sing the benefits being gained of this policy, it is further divided into its 2nd and 3rd stages severally and this stage would farther find the use of renewable energy sourced blessed to Pakistan by nature. Important characteristics of this policy are: 1. This policy contains assorted of import chances that attract investors from the assorted private sectors. i.e.. It provides an chance of acquiring one stabilized in his ain independent power undertakings that could either be used for one ‘s ain intents or it can be made to make others in return of the net incomes of your investing. 2. An investor bring forthing electricity utilizing renewable energy beginnings at one location, at the same clip can acquire an equal sum of electricity for any sort of usage at another location conveying electricity through grids at his ain disbursals. 3. Via use of Renewable energy beginnings, it allows to bring forth electricity and manufacturer can sell excess sum of electricity and at the same clip, he can have electricity from another grids and this production and receiving of electricity can be solved by net metering and charge which this policy has introduced, therefore rendering big benefit to little scaly productions and besides enhanced the efficiency of bing installed systems. 4. This policy is significantly of import for micro, mini hydro and solar based electricity production undertakings. 5. The complex techniques of Duty Determination have been simplified following transparent and apparent rules laid down by the policy of renewable energy beginnings. 6. An model characteristic of this policy is the decrease of hazards associated to power buyers as it used to be found in the yesteryear. Therefore it can be said that the policy with its salient characteristics discussed above can play a cardinal function in beef uping the economic system of our state every bit good as it can stabilise the economic system of assorted power undertakings being run by figure of private investors. Introduction: Our state Pakistan is comprised of more than 150 million people therefore using immense energy. This high demand of energy is impossible to be met if we depend on planetary energy fuels of high monetary values. So, to run into this job Government of Pakistan has introduced the policy of use of renewable energy beginnings pulling the private investor ‘s along with covering with high demand of energy use. With the turning demand of energy beginnings and visual aspect of new engineerings in the planetary universe would find the reaching of more and more policies originating from this really core policy of renewable energy beginnings in Pakistan. Power Sector Institutions: Following are the power sector establishments in Pakistan: 1. Ministry of Power and Water development: This establishment is supposed to cover with all the issues originating of the affair of energy production and ingestion. This sector besides with other related independent and independent establishments of energy beginnings. 2. National electrical and power ordinance authorization ( NEPRA ) : NEPRA provides the policies, regulations and ordinances to guarantee safe and choice production of electricity and besides safe transmittal of electricity to consumers. 3. Alternative energy development Board: AEDB is designated to implement the assorted programs rendered by Government of Pakistan related to the use of energy beginnings in Pakistan. It besides covers advertisement to make consciousness and ease the energy ingestion in Pakistan. Renewable Energy Resources: Following are the renewable energy beginnings in Pakistan. Hydro Potential: So far, no exact appraisal has been brought in related to hydro power potency in Pakistan but if we take mean, this possible comes out to be 45000 MW. This possible includes power ingestion in all the walks of life and hydro power workss. Status 2006: The hydro power capacity of Pakistan so far assumed is 5928 MW of big ( gt ; 250 MW ) 470 MW of medium ( gt ; 50 and lt ; 250 ) And 253 MW of micro ( lt ; 50 MW ) workss. Now it makes the amount of 6608 MW, which barely covers 15 % of entire identified hydro potency in Pakistan. Wind Potential: Wind power undertaking resources exist in assorted parts of the state including southern Sindh and Coastal countries of Pakistan with monthly norm wind velocity of 6-7 m/s at some sites. Status: Unfortunately there is no air current power undertaking commercially working in Pakistan. However micro wind power undertakings have been tested. Solar and Thermal Potential: Pakistan is blessed with immense solar energy resources. Most sites of Pakistan receive big sum of solar energy in the universe that extends to 2 MWh/m2 or 3000 hours of sunlight. Status: This big sum of solar energy is being ignored. So far now solar and thermic power undertaking has been installed in Pakistan. Biomass Potential: Pakistan being an agricultural state contains big reservoirs of biomass in the signifier of residue harvests, animate being wastes and rice chaffs etc. Status: This big reservoir of biogases is being utilized in Pakistan at assorted low degrees and frequently at high degrees. This sector is besides allowed to sell excess power other than of its ain required usage to sell to grids at the rate of 700 MW. Strategic aims of Policy: There are four cardinal aims that formulate the policy of development of renewable energy beginnings: Energy Security: Energy is the chief demand of today ‘s modern civilisation. Following the importance of use of energy by the modern societies has risen up the monetary values of fuel and oil in the planetary market. The use of renewable energy beginnings by which our state is blessed would guarantee us the energy security and we would be less dependent on others to run into the demand of energy. Economic Benefits: Renewable energy beginnings if used decently in any state can be really helpful in profiting the economic system of that peculiar state. As use of energy from other beginnings would ensue in energy losingss and wastage of money to an unexpecting bound, nevertheless, utilizing the renewable energy beginnings of our ain state, we can salvage the big sum of our economic system which is spent on importing the energy beginnings from other states to our ain usage. Social Equity ; As discussed earlier, that utilizing the renewable energy beginnings of our state can do us able to salvage the economic system and salvaging the economic system would straight intend prosperity of the state that can profit the people of our state by eliminating poorness rate and guaranting security of societal rights among all the citizens of our state. Renewable energy beginnings can besides cut down the labour work as it can replace the human attempts in field by machineries which are non being utilized because of high monetary values of fuel in the international market. Environmental Protection: Use of local energy beginnings is the confidence of environmental protection as it lowers the hazard of air and environmental pollution which is frequently threatened to the society by utilizing the natural and fuels of hapless quality being imported from other states. Policy Goals and developmental scheme: Following are the ends that lead the state to explicate the policy of development of renewable energy beginnings: 1. Maximal use of energy beginnings of our state that can ease the lives of our people by supplying electricity through all the parts of the state. 2. Renewable energy beginnings can do the state meet the turning demands of people populating in it. 3. An investing friendly environment is created in the market therefore pulling private sectors and enabling them to advance friendly and economical environment for the investors in the sector of renewable energy beginnings. 4. Deriving of economic benefits is besides one of the primary ends meant to acquire achieved via this policy. Scope of Policy: This policy leads to the use of different renewable energy beginnings. Micro hydro Solar polytheist hydro Wind power undertakings Municipal waste and landfill methane recovery Biomass Gasification Crop residues Etc etc. Road Maps for policy development and Execution: Keeping in head the important of renewable energy beginnings, a strategic policy specifying the fundamental laws has been formulized. This policy is divides in three stages and each stage, if implemented good can do us succeeded in accomplishing the aims. Short term stage. Short term stage includes indulgent policies in order to make an economic friendly atmosphere throughout the concern countries of the state and take the bing barriers impeding in the manner of our concern sector.This stage focused allot on little hydro, solar and wind power undertakings for immediate commercial development. This stage helped in pulling the private sectors to put in commercial markets for renewable energy beginnings. This stage developed regular frame work, develops markets, assessed the resources, swayers development programmes and finance development for renewable energy beginnings and ease the markets to renewable energy beginnings in the state. Average Term: Following the enormous success of the policy of renewable energy beginnings in its short stage, another comprehensive stage set on with more effectual policies and nonsubjective that would widen up to 30th of June 2012. This stage emphasized on developing the inclination of competition among assorted renewable energy engineerings application class. One such illustration is the use of Grid connected air current farms. It besides developed the market and inclination in people for utilizing the spread Renewable energy beginnings such as solar place systems. Long Term: The execution of the policy of renewable energy beginnings will come in the long stage every bit shortly as average term ends, to acquire the coveted aims. This stage will to the full develop the competitory ambiance in the market among assorted initial RETs. It will be lead under the â€Å" compulsory sweeping Wheeling † . Supplying an investor with full options of using any of the available renewable energy beginnings and competition to a full swing to do usage of each and every resource that is easy available. How to cite Renewable Energy Generation In Pakistan Environmental Sciences Essay, Essay examples

Essay on Work-Life Balance

Question: Write Essay on Work-Life Balance. Answer: Abstract In this essay the term flexibility in workplaces will be thoroughly analyzed from different angles. Going through the matter that is available on this subject we will be trying to find out if the current growing trend of the flexible hours in the workplaces. The advantages and the disadvantages would be discussed and we shall see how it has affected us and the motto of work life balance has been achieved or rather compromised. If achieved then to what extent and if compromised then to what extent it has been compromised. Different scholars have presented their views on this topic these views too would be mentioned in this essay. Introduction As mentioned above the main subject of the essay is the argument that has been going on in the Australian workplace which id the flexibility and work and life balance. Flexibility of job refers to the flexible hours of working and achieving the target set by the company by increased number of hours at once so that employees can take off and also that the firms do not have to hire more employees to get the job done. There have been arguments for and against this topic but one must agree that the original idea of introducing the system of flexibility to achieve the work life balance is lost and it has shifted into more professional strain on the employees (Keliher et al, 2008) Juliet Bourke on the use of flexibility has moved away from its original paradigms. Juliet Bourke is known for her opinions on the Australian working scenario and working conditions. She is regarded as one of the talented personalities who is expert in organizational work set and cultural conditions of the firm. She has helped in developing a better work culture in the Australian business centers. Let see her views on this subject and how far she is true in her opinion. According to her the entire paradigm that had been first introduced has now undergone a total change and has been used as weapon by the employers to get more work out of the employees. Initially it was regarded as a great step ahead foe the employees to have a work and life balance but with time it has turned out to be something else. Her main view is that the entire concept has been changed diplomatically and has led to more work pressure on the employees as they have to work for more number of hours in order to get holidays( Goodman, et al, 2012) These holidays are afterwards not well utilized as there is the lucrative over time benefit which the employees utilize in order to gain more salary. This has saved most of the capital of the employers which they would have to invest in hiring another part time worker as the salary differs on the basis if transfer payments of every employee. Juliet Bourke has rightly said that the original paradigm has been lost and that the whole concept of maintaining the balance in life as developed sense of negativity about itself. Exploitation is a harsh word but with the trend that can bee seen we do not hesitate to say that the employees in a way have been exploited by the business firm under the tag of a better work culture. Flexibility has a totally new meaning today. Going home after work hours and completing work looks good and flexible but employees dont understand the fact that they pull up an extra, unnecessary workload and stress upon them which has its share of disadvantages itself.( Rosta, Judith, et al, 2007) The only people enjoying here, naturally, are the employers, who make one of their employees in his/her flexible hours, do work of two other employees and put him/her under deadline pressure of pay-cuts, or in extreme cases, sacked. So it can be said the employers smartly maneuver their work amongst their employees and if they come under extra important work, their mightiest weapon, flexible working hours of employees comes in handy and with such conditional deadlines, they usually have 95% accuracy(Purcell, et al 2007). Employees should know themselves that once they directly accept extra assignments out of their working hours, they come under the checklist to be assigned every now and th en without any regard of personal time and space, no matter how important an invitation or time with family is, work is work (Waumsley et al. 2009). What the employees fail to see that doing this extra work might give them extra pay but they lose out on quality time with family and friends. The taste and crispiness of life withers away. Sometimes, Boss may allow his employee to take off for their kids football match, but the same boss will not hold back to call at 9.30 for giving work. At these late hours, the mind craves for relaxation, but making it work more on really important work makes it rusted though it is beneficial for the concerned company because they are able to pull out more amount of work, the amount work done by two employees completed by a single employee, under pressure. Sometimes it can help build up multi-tasking management skills for the employees but the work they do is never planned and is most unexpected as to when and what the work maybe. Some managers love to see their employees work, work and work all day and cannot stand them resting at home too so theyre given the next days work to be completed at home too. With increase in such competition, there are very few chances of getting jobs. This keeps the employees skeptic of switching jobs from the one where there was least satisfaction. Continuous work pressure, an unsatisfied boss deteriorates the potential of a worker to minimum level. So proper choice of jobs and not undertaking extra jobs in flexible hours should be practiced. Employees should certainly be more optimistic towards their work and just not do any way of making extra money by doing work in their flexible work hours. Once in the corporate sector, the employee should start working smart, not hard, because that is the only difference between a smart working employer and a hard working employee. (Hertz et al, 2010) The implications of the excessive working hours on the performance of employees and managers Excessive working hours or overtime can be beneficial as well as harmful for the employees and companies. Everything has its pros and cons. To stimulate economic result, employers use flexibility. Employees work for excessive working hours in order to meet and achieve the goals of a company. Managers, professionals and administrative staff has the liberty to choose the starting and finishing time of their work as well as choosing the overtime hours of work according to their conveyance, so that they can take some time off, whereas other workers has not been given such freedom. But the downside of excessive working hours is greater than the advantages. Firstly, it takes a toll on heath of the employees and managers both physically as well as mentally. According to the researchers, long working hours adversely damages and increase health problems of the workers. Few of the health problems that have been linked with excessive working hours are increase in mental health issues, gestation al age among women, increase in the consumption of alcohol among men, lower back injuries for the workers who are involved in a lot of physical lifting and increase in the suicide rate. This leads to an increase in indirect cost for health care, treatment, absenteeism et cetera, which ultimately reduces the productivity of the company. Occupational injuries and illnesses are the common effect of excessive working hours. Along with increase in working hours, there is an extended safety risk, which comprises of performance and safety at nuclear plants, disabled performance and lesser attention, an increased mistakes in the medical provision, an increase in accident incidences by three times after sixteen hours of work. Safety issue can also rise from the weariness and exhaustion of the employees and managers, or it might be a cumulative consequence of long working days at a stretch. Decrease in productivity is another outcome of excessive working hours. It is also a fact that the more time given or is available to meet the deadline or complete the task, people tend to work slowly which leads to an increase in an unproductive time. Other factors such as worried about work, family issues and other health complications contribute to decrease productivity. Absenteeism is increased because of exhaustion, substandard healt h or just for the sake of deriving a break from the hectic schedule one takes a time off from work. Frequent absences are compromised by overtime; however replacement is done by the company for the vacancies which makes the problem all the more self-sustaining. Increase in turnover is another result of the lack of work life balance. It is dealt with the same response as of absenteeism, over time work is implemented to fill the vacancies. There are several ways to deal with overtime problems such as reducing instinctive absences, ensuring whether the staffs is suitable, alternative work arrangements, discourage over timing on the basis of policies and procedures and work towards the goal to increase productivity. There is a high dissatisfaction among the people of Australia because of the lack of stability in their work and non-work life. As per the survey, more than 20% of people work for 48 hours or more and approx. 60% of people is not able to take regular holidays. Around three q uarters of these people would preferably work for fewer hours. Ways in which employers could facilitate work-life balance during an economic downturn. Maintaining a healthy balance between work life and personal life is doubtlessly good for employees and has been taken into consideration lately by the organizations. Work-life balance is successfully regulating the juggling move paid work and other tasks which is significant to people (Turnipseed, et al, 2005) Flexibility has been innovated very much in terms of when to work and where to work. Employers facilitate work-life balance by allowing the employees to work from home periodically so that they can utilize flex time in some other personal work like by spending time with family or going out with them, without losing a pay. If there is proper balance in work and life, employers tend to give their best performance, because he/she must be contented with his/her life or maybe their family is happy. Not only this, but it is believed that where happiness prevails that workplace becomes exciting and conflict free (Baker McClearn, et al, 2010). Employees pursue to reformulate ordinary hours of work, inspite of the Fair Work Act, which toughens to purchase penalty rates for the employers (Naithani, et al, 2009). Workers have been given the sovereignty over paid and unpaid excessive hours now days. "Most of the gains allow employees to work longer hours or adjust those hours to care for their personal and family responsibilities while getting their work done (Gorman-Murray et al, 2011). Although some may have expected employers to cut back on flexibility entirely during this economic downturn, we are seeing employers leverage flexibility as they look toward the future, said by Ellen Gainsay. Almost every employee should be given right to work flexibly. This can be achieved by various flexible working implementations, like changeable working hours, home working, part-time working, constricted hours and term-time working. Excessive working hours will lead to long term damaging effect on employees. It is only possible to manage or survive excessive and overtime hours of work for a short time. Work-life balance contributes to a working environment that mitigates stress and pressure. It creates an equal opportunity for every employee. For example work-life flexibility empowers everyone to choose the pattern of working hours according to their schedule which deems fit with their personal life, social life, health et cetera. It obtains staff loyalty and dedication boosts them for higher performance which ultimately leads to an increase in the productivity of an organization. It is very important to able to maintain at a certain level the approach to work-life balance (Kossek, et al, 2011). Reference: Kelliher, C. and Anderson, D., 2009. Doing more with less? Flexible working practices and the intensification of work.Human relations. Beugelsdijk, S., 2008. Strategic human resource practices and product innovation.Organization Studies,29(6), pp.821-847. Waumsley, J.A. and Houston, D.M., 2009. Flexible working, professional success and being female: are they incompatible?.Review of European Studies,1(2), p.39. Hertz, A., Lahrichi, N. and Widmer, M., 2010. A flexible MILP model for multiple-shift workforce planning under annualized hours.European Journal of Operational Research,200(3), pp.860-873. Rosta, Judith, and Andreas Gerber. "Excessive working hours and health complaints among hospital physicians: a study based on a national sample of hospital physicians in Germany."GMS German Medical Science5 (2007). Caruso, Claire C., et al. "Long working hours, safety, and health: toward a National Research Agenda."American journal of industrial medicine49.11 (2006): 930-942. Ala-Mursula, Leena, et al. "Long hours in paid and domestic work and subsequent sickness absence: does control over daily working hours matter?."Occupational and environmental medicine63.9 (2006): 608-616. Balance, Work Life. "Work Life Balance."Work1.1.5 (2013): 2-0. Goodman, Annekathryn. "Worklife balance."Physicians pathways to non-traditional careers and leadership opportunities. Springer New York, 2012. 25-34. Burg-Brown, Stephanie. "Work-life balance."Journal of Property Management78.4 (2013): 48-54. Purcell, John, and Sue Hutchinson. "Front line managers as agents in the HRM performance causal chain: theory, analysis and evidence."Human Resource Management Journal17.1 (2007): 3-20. Turnipseed, David L., and Ali Rassuli. "Performance Perceptions of Organizational Citizenship Behaviours at Work: a Bi Level Study among Managers and Employees."British Journal of Management16.3 (2005): 231-244. Baker McClearn, Denise, et al. "Absence management and presenteeism: The pressures on employees to attend work and the impact of attendance on performance."Human Resource Management Journal20.3 (2010): 311-328. Naithani, Pranav. "Overview of work-life balance discourse and its relevance in current economic scenario."Naithani, P.(2010). Overview of work-life balance discourse and its relevance in current economic scenario. Asian Social Science6.6 (2009): 148-155. Gorman-Murray, Andrew. "Economic crises and emotional fallout: Work, home and mens senses of belonging in post-GFC Sydney."Emotion, Space and Society4.4 (2011): 211-220. Kossek, Ellen Ernst, Boris B. Baltes, and Russell A. Matthews. "How workfamily research can finally have an impact in organizations."Industrial and organizational psychology4.3 (2011): 352-369.