NEW NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has released 10 new National Employment Standards so Australian workers have a guaranteed set of minimum employment conditions that are non-negotiable.

The 10 new work standards are:

1. Maximum weekly hours

- 38 hour week for a full-time employee

- An employee may request or require an employee to work reasonable additional hours in a week

- An employee may refuse the additional hours if they are unreasonable

- Averaging of hours over a specified period is allowed, but may not exceed the average of 38 hours a week.

2. Request for flexible working arrangements

A parent or carer/employee may ask an employer for a change in work arrangements if employed for longer than 12 months. A casual employee may request a change if employed on a systematic basis for 12 months or longer.

3. Parental leave

Both parents are entitled to separate periods of 12 months unpaid parental leave after 12 months service. Mother can request an extra 12 months' unpaid leave but employer can reject.

4. Annual leave

Four weeks for full-time employees, five weeks for shift workers. Can be cashed out through awards if no duress used.

5. Personal/carers leave and compassionate leave

10 days' paid personal leave is available. Two days' of compassionate leave is available in the event of a family death or serious illness/injury.

6. Community service leave

Available for jury service or for voluntary emergency management. Employer is required to remunerate only the first 10 days of absence.

7. Long service leave

Standards apply to all awards but not exceptions such as workplace agreement, a pre-reform Australian Workplace Agreement.

8. Public holidays

There are eight national public holidays plus special days in states and territories. Employer can request employees to work but employee can refuse.

9. Notice of termination and redundancy pay

Period of notice and redundancy pay is guided by the length of employment.

10. Fair work information statement

Employer must provide every new employee with a fair work information statement.

Employment Minister Julia Gillard said, "These 10 national employment standards are there for every employee, whether you work part-time in a restaurant or whether you work as a surgeon in a hospital."

TWU Branch Secretary Hughie Williams said, "The Rudd Government's new employment standards are a start but there is still a long way to go to improve Australia's working conditions."

Jeff Lawrence, ACTU Secretary said, "In the future, unions will be looking for improvements to these minimum standards. We will particularly be looking for a new basic entitlement of paid maternity leave for women workers."

The 10 new employment standards will go to the Industrial Relations Commission, will come into operation in 2010 and will be brought into legislation later this year.