Course Title: Work within the Current Industrial Relations Climate

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2010

Course Code: EMPL5504

Course Title: Work within the Current Industrial Relations Climate

School: 365T Global Studies, Soc Sci & Plng

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6077 - Advanced Diploma of Justice

Course Contact : Irene Pagliarella

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254581

Course Contact Email:irene.pagliarella@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Mr Pat Prescott 99254512
patrick.prescott@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 54

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

There are no pre-requisites for this course

Course Description

This course covers the skills and knowledge required to examine and apply the industrial relations laws, practices and procedures required to work within a justice environment


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBQU370 Work within the Current Industrial Relations Climate

Element:

1. Investigate issues relevant to industrial relations

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Contemporary issues affecting workplace practice are analysed.
1.2 Key stakeholders affected by contemporary issues are examined.

Element:

2. Analyse the main provisions of current workplace legislation

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Key legal provisions of the workplace relations legislation are investigated.
2.2 Workplace issues and current industrial issues which influence the workplace are examined.
2.3 A variety of workplace agreements relevant to the criminal justice system are investigated.
2.4 An analysis is undertaken to identify the potential impact of workplace legislation on different workplace areas, processes and system of work and workplace agreements.
2.5 The relevancy of Awards in the agreement making process is examined.
2.6 An analysis is undertaken to distinguish between Certified Agreement and Australian Workplace Agreements.
2.7 The regulations and the law with regard to establishing formal workplace agreements are determined.
2.8 The process of establishing Certified Agreements is examined.
2.9 The role of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) in the process of establishing Certified Agreements is determined.
2.10 The process of establishing Australian Workplace Agreements is examined.
2.11 The role of the Employment Advocate in the process of establishing Australian Workplace Agreements is determined.

Element:

3. Investigate Federal and State Awards covering workers in para-legal professions

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Relevant sections of workplace awards/agreements are examined.
3.2 Key legal provisions of awards/agreements are identified.
3.3 The role and jurisdiction of the Industrial Relations Commission is analysed.
3.4 The role of Trade Unions is examined

Element:

4. Investigate the legal rights and obligations in the employment relationship

Performance Criteria:

4.1 State and Commonwealth Industrial relation legislations covering conditions of employment are examined.
4.2 An analysis is conducted to distinguish between Common Law and Contract Law in the employment relationship.

Element:

5. Analyse the legal provisions relating to the termination of employment

Performance Criteria:

5.1 The role of the AIRC in the termination of employment is examined.
5.2 The legal responsibilities pertaining to continuity of employment in the transmission (sale) of a business are examined.
5.3 The Workplace Relations Act 1996 in regard to termination of contract is reviewed.
5.4 The grievance procedure and its relevance in the process of termination of employment are analysed.

Element:

6. Examine the laws relating to antidiscrimination, equal opportunity and human rights in the workplace

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Federal and Victorian human rights and equal opportunity legislation including the Equal Opportunity Act, 1995 (Vic) is examined.
6.2 The various types of discrimination are identified.
6.3 The sexual harassment, victimisation and bullying sections of the Equal Opportunity Act, 1995 (Vic) is reviewed.
6.4 The roles of the Victorian Civil & Administrative Appeal Tribunal (VCAT) and the Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) in dispute resolution are outlined.
6.5 A workplace policy is developed to minimise the impact of a discrimination/harassment claim in the workplace.

Element:

7. Analyse the legislation relating to accident compensation and occupational health and safety in the workplace

Performance Criteria:

7.1 The role of the Victorian WorkCover Authority is outlined.
7.2 The rights and responsibilities of employers and employees under the OH&S Act and Accident Compensation legislation are established.
7.3 The penalties for breaches of the OH&S and Accident Compensation Acts are identified.
7.4 Entitlement to compensation for employees is identified.
7.5 An audit of potential OH&S hazards in your workplace or learning organisation is conducted.

Element:

8. Examine the implication of privacy law in the workplace

Performance Criteria:

8.1 Provisions of the Privacy Act, 1988 (Cth) is examined
8.2 The types of private information regulated under the Act are identified.
8.3 The rights of employers and employees in relation to e-mail and surveillance are analysed.
8.4 The powers of the Federal Privacy Commissioner are identified
8.5 The provisions of the Victorian Information Privacy Act, 2000 are analysed.
8.6 A privacy policy document is developed for employees in a Victorian workplace


Learning Outcomes


See Elements


Details of Learning Activities

Students will participate in a variety of teaching methods including: lectures, tutorials, class discussion, seminar presentations, group/individual work on projects, audio-visual presentations, field excursions where applicable, on site visits, and interaction with individuals and groups within the criminal justice area


Teaching Schedule

Weekly 3 hour classes from the week commencing 12 July until the end of October. There will be a one week semester break in the first week of September.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Readings will be provided


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will consist of: active participation in classroom and Learning Hub discussions, a presentation on working conditions in the Justice field and/or essay, and an exam


Assessment Tasks

Details of assessment tasks will be made available early in the semester


Assessment Matrix

Other Information

Students are expected to make use of the Blackboard in this subject

Course Overview: Access Course Overview