August 07 Newsletter

Can you help? Are you a multi-tasking guru with a big smile?

Our fabulous receptionist; Blake, who most of you will have spoken to or met, is sadly moving onto new pastures. We are currently in the process of trying to find an enthusiastic and positive Receptionist to support our city office. The responsibilities are a balance of both front desk reception and administration which offers an interesting & challenging role working as an integral part of our fun and energetic team! You won’t be thrown in the deep end, as a thorough hand over and detailed training program will be provided. If this sounds like your perfect role and are interested to know more please call Justine on 02 9279 2777.

New face in the Chatswood Office!

If you’ve recently called our Chatswood office you will have spoken to the lovely Georgia , who is helping us out while Daisy is overseas. Georgia has a background in call centre and business support recruitment and will be assisting the team until Daisy returns from her globe trotting! Georgia is getting married in November and then heading to Thailand for her honeymoon, so we are hoping that she likes us enough to return in December!

WORKPLACE RELATIONS FACT SHEET

The Workplace Authority has published a Workplace Relations Fact Sheet. This document must now be provided to Employees to assist them in better understanding the workplace relations system, their entitlements, protections and where to go for information, help and advice. Effective 20 July 2007, it is now a legal requirement that all Australian employers provide the fact sheet to their employees.

Australia’s federal workplace relations system has a set of rules and obligations that all employers are required to follow and employees should know where they stand.

All full-time employees are protected by a key set of pay and conditions. Part-time employees get similar entitlements based on their hours of work. Casual employees are guaranteed minimum wage rates, casual loading and unpaid carer’s leave.

Know where you stand

The Workplace Authority provides independent advice to employees and employers about the workplace relations system. It has a particular focus on helping young employees understand their workplace entitlements and agreements. Whether you’re an employee or an employer, there’s one place you can go for information, help and advice. By clicking on www.workplaceauthority.gov.au you will be able to access all the relevant information in relation to this initiative including details on how to contact the Workplace Ombudsman.

The Fairness Test also applies to employee Workplace Agreements in industries or occupations where an Award usually applies and where certain conditions have been removed or changed.

If an agreement doesn’t pass the Fairness Test it will have to be changed so that it gives fair compensation, and the employer will have to make up any back pay.

There is a range of support available to help you when creating or negotiating your Australian Workplace Agreement. We strongly suggest that you review the relevant website or contact Workplace Infoline on 1300 363 264 for further information.

What's happening around town in August?

This year the Sydney Design team at the Powerhouse Museum has selected a festival program that will show you where design is making a difference in our lives, how designers are addressing the bigger issues of social and environmental responsibility, and provide a unique insight into the creative processes of designers and architects. Plus there's the usual feast of celebrations, good humour and creative discourse that make Sydney Design a must on the annual festival calendar.

The Powerhouse Museum and its many partners in design bring you a 16-day festival packed with exhibitions, seminars and speakers, film screenings, design markets, walks and tours, awards and exhibitions. Sydney Design 07 is for everyone, so take part, have fun and get into design this August.

Most events are free, or included in entry to the Powerhouse Museum. Some events and tours are ticketed and need to be booked in advance.

Visit www.sydneydesign.com.au for more details.

TOTALLY USELESS TRIVIA!!

The continents names all end with the same letter with which they start.
No piece of dry paper can be folded more than 7 times in half!.
One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television!.
Dolphins sleep with one eye open!.
Owls are one of the only birds who can see the color blue!.
Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying
The average person laughs 13 times a day!.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver,and purple
All of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are stuck on 4:20
A group of owls is called a parliament.

JOKE

An excited man starts his new job at the zoo and is given three tasks.

First is to clear the exotic fish pool of weeds. As he does this, a huge fish jumps out and bites him. To show who is boss he beats it to death with a spade. Realizing his employer won't be pleased, he disposes of the fish by feeding it to the lions, as lions will eat anything.

Moving on to the second job of clearing out the Chimp house, he is attacked by the chimps that pelt him with coconuts. He swipes at two chimps with a spade, killing them both. What can he do? Feed them to the lions, he says to himself, because lions eat anything. He hurls the corpses into the lion enclosure.

He moves on to the last job, which is to collect honey from the South American Bees. As soon as he starts he is attacked by the bees. He grabs the spade and smashes the bees to a pulp. By now he knows what to do and throws them into the lion's cage because lions eat anything.

Later that day a new lion arrives at the zoo. He wanders up to another lion and says "What's the food like here?"

The lion says, "Absolutely brilliant, today we had Fish and Chimps with Mushy Bees."