AGENDA
MELBOURNE: 19 NOVEMBER | SYDNEY: 20 NOVEMBER
8:30 Registration & Coffee
9:00 Critical legal updates and case law reviews
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Immediate actions required under the 2025 Fair Work Act amendments – parental leave, flexible work, and enterprise bargaining
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New WHS psychosocial risk requirements and practical employer obligations
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Recent High Court and FWC decisions impacting absence management, fitness-for-work, and terminations
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Disability Discrimination Act changes affecting reasonable adjustments and discrimination risks
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Privacy Act reforms – collecting, managing, and storing sensitive medical information
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What these updates mean for your policies, processes, and risk profile
10:00 Introduction to case study – Parental duties, injury disputes & telehealth
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Work through a complex scenario involving an employee (primary carer) who claims a work-related injury, cites aggravation at home, and provides conflicting telehealth medical certificates. The employee resists return-to-work plans and modified duties, citing parenting obligations.
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This case study will be used as a practical example throughout the masterclass. As each agenda topic is covered, you’ll work through different stages of the scenario as a group, applying the latest legal insights and practical strategies.
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Updated templates and key documents will be provided to support your learning and ensure compliance.
10:30 Morning Tea
11:00 Managing complex mental health & psychosocial claims
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Effectively manage stress-related and psychological injury claims under new WHS and Fair Work obligations
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Practical steps for handling mental health-related incapacity and complex return-to-work scenarios
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Identify early warning signs and intervene before absenteeism becomes a legal risk
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Avoiding escalating psychosocial liabilities and costly workers compensation claims
12:30 Networking Lunch
1:30 Performance, long-term absences, and medical evidence challenges
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Master lawful performance management in the context of illness, injury, and underperformance
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Navigating extended absences and the lawful use of independent medical assessments
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Challenging questionable medical certificates and telehealth absences
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Managing parental leave and career-related claims to avoid discrimination risks
3:00 Afternoon Tea
3:30 Effective return-to-work and dispute resolution
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Implement robust return-to-work processes to prevent disputes escalating into claims
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Managing terminations for medical incapacity without legal repercussions
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Real-world dispute resolution: proven mediation and settlement techniques
4:30 Ask the Expert
Get your most pressing questions answered live by our legal experts, with practical guidance on the real-world challenges in managing ill and injured employees
5:00 End of Masterclass