Management of Workplace Conflicts: Assessment

Running head: MANAGMENT
Solving workplace conflicts
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1MANAGEMENT
Assessment 1.
1.
 Employees understand the constraints of their job without using a ‘trial and error’
approach, as key points are visible in well-written policies and procedures.
 Policies and procedures enable the workforce to clearly understand individual and team
responsibilities, thus saving time and resources. Everyone is working off the same page;
employees can get the “official” word on how they should go about their tasks quickly
and easily.
 Clearly written policies and procedures allow managers to exercise control by exception
rather than ‘micro-manage’ their staff.
 They send a “We Care!” message. ‘The company wants us to be successful at our jobs.’
 Clearly written policies and procedures provide legal protection. Juries apply the
‘common person’ standard. If written clearly so that outsiders understand, the company
has better legal footing if challenged in court.
2. Age Discrimination Act 2004. The Age Discrimination Act 2004 is an Act of the
Parliament of Australia that prohibits age discrimination in many areas including
employment, education, accommodation and the provision of goods and services. Persons of
any age can be discriminated against within the meaning of the act.
(a) to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of age in the
areas of work, education, access to premises, the provision of goods, services and facilities,
accommodation, the disposal of land, the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs
and requests for information; and

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(b) to ensure, as far as practicable, that everyone has the same rights to equality
before the law, regardless of age, as the rest of the community
Disability Discrimination Act
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) was an act passed by the Parliament of
Australia in 1992which prohibits discrimination against persons withdisabilities in employment,
education, publicly available premises, provision of goods and services, accommodation, clubs
and associations, and other contexts.
 To standardise the scope of rights offered around the country
 To implement the Australian Government’s obligations as a signatory to international
declarations on the rights of people with disabilities.
 To enable regulation of discriminatory practices of Commonwealth authorities.
Fair Work Act 2009.
 The object of this Act is to provide a balanced framework for cooperative and productive
workplace relations that promotes national economic prosperity and social inclusion for
all Australians by:
 providing workplace relations laws that are fair to working Australians, are flexible for
businesses, promote productivity and economic growth for Australia’s future economic
prosperity and take into account Australia’s international labour obligations; and
 ensuring a guaranteed safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum terms and
conditions through the National Employment Standards, modern awards and national
minimum wage orders; and

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 ensuring that the guaranteed safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum wages
and conditions can no longer be undermined by the making of statutory individual
employment agreements of any kind given that such agreements can never be part of a
fair workplace relations system; and
 assisting employees to balance their work and family responsibilities by providing for
flexible working arrangements; and
 enabling fairness and representation at work and the prevention of discrimination by
recognising the right to freedom of association and the right to be represented, protecting
against unfair treatment and discrimination, providing accessible and effective procedures
to resolve grievances and disputes and providing effective compliance mechanisms; and
 achieving productivity and fairness through an emphasis on enterprise-level collective
bargaining underpinned by simple good faith bargaining obligations and clear rules
governing industrial action; and
 acknowledging the special circumstances of small and medium-sized businesses.
Racial Discrimination Act
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), (RDA) is a statute passed by the Australian
Parliament during the Prime Ministership of Gough Whitlam. The RDA makes racial
discrimination in certain contexts unlawful in Australia, and overrides States and Territory
legislation to the extent of any inconsistency.1
The Act protects you against discrimination in many areas of public life, including:
1 fairwork.gov.au (2017) <https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/best-practice-
guides/managing-underperformance>

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employment – getting a job, terms and conditions of a job, training, promotion, being dismissed
education – enrolling or studying in a course at a private or public school, college or university
accommodation – renting or buying a house or unit
getting or using services – such as banking and insurance services, services provided by
government departments, transport or telecommunication services, professional services like
those provided by lawyers, doctors or tradespeople, services provided by restaurants, shops or
entertainment venues
Sex discrimination Act, 1984
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is an Act of the Parliament of Australiawhich prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sex, marital or relationship status, actual or potential pregnancy,
sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or breastfeeding in a range of areas of public
life. These areas include work, accommodation, education, the provision of goods, facilities and
services, the activities of clubs and the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs.
The Australian Human Rights Commission investigates alleged breaches of the Act. The office
of Sex Discrimination Commissioner, created in 1984 alongside the Act, is a specialist
commissioner within the AHRC.
Sex discrimination is being treated less favourably because of your sex, marital status,
pregnancy or the potential to become pregnant. To be dismissed because of your family
responsibilities or to be sexually harassed is also unlawful. It is important to note that
discrimination can be direct or indirect.
Example

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If the manager of a company said that male employees would be considered for the supervisor's
position first, this would be 'direct' discrimination on the basis of sex.
Indirect discrimination results when a requirement, rule, policy, practice or procedure which
appears to treat everyone the same is applied, and it has an unfair effect on particular individuals
or groups of people.
Example
If a company had a policy that employees who had worked continuously for 20 years would
receive a bonus, it is likely that many more women than men would miss out. Many women
interrupt their working lives to take maternity leave and then return to their jobs. If due to these
breaks these women would not be seen to have worked continuously for the company for 20
years it would be 'indirect' sex discrimination.
Both direct and indirect discrimination are unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Act.
3. Key points to solve workplace problems
Often issues arise because:
employers and employees don't know what the law is
communication has broken down.
What you can do to sort out workplace issues
Resolving workplace issues on your own can be quick and easy with the right tools. Our guide to
resolving workplace issues will help you find the information you need, have an effective
conversation in the workplace, fix any underpayments and get back to work.