Current issues in employment

Reaction to the Australian Human Rights Commission's decision last week to give the government a 12 month exemption from relevant provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act indicate that stakeholders remain divided:

• Disability Enterprises Decision Criticised, ProBono Australia News, 1st May 2014
• Fears thousands with severe disability could be thrown out of work after Human Rights Commission decision, ABC News, 7th may 2014

Lack of superannuation can be one (unintended?) consequence of low wages paid to people with intellectual disabilities:

Intellectually disabled workers not getting superannuation, Sally Sara, AM (ABC Radio), 23rd April 2014
Superannuation rules brought in to protect businesses mean that those earning less than $450 a month do not qualify for superannuation payments. The rules have consequences for much of the disabled workforce.
Emma White, 30, has Down's Syndrome and wants to work more, but at the moment she does not earn enough to get super ...