Don’t fall behind on crucial workplace mental health updates. Be aware of the implications of all of the latest reforms, including the Right to Disconnect? Failing to understand the enhanced duties and liabilities as an employer or an advisor could have serious consequences. Be clear on your responsibilities concerning psychosocial hazards and the Respect@Work legislation. Mishandling long-term ill and injured employees could lead to significant issues. Ensure you’re fully aware of your obligations to your insurer to avoid costly mistakes.

Presenters

Susan Moriarty, Principal, Susan Moriarty & Associates
Susan Moriarty has degrees in both Arts and law. She is a former Chief of Staff to the State Attorney-General. In 1999, she left her career as a government lawyer to establish her own law firm specializing in human rights and employment law. In 2000 she was selected by AusAID to lead a South African delegation on a human rights legislation inspection in Australia. In 2014 and again in 2015 her firm won the International Business Magazine Award for Australian Discrimination Law Firm of the Year for her work on behalf of Jemma Ewin whose award for General Damages for aggravated sexual harassment was until recently the largest award for damages of those kind in Australia. Since 2017 she has been recognized by the Doyle’s Guide as one of Queensland’s Leading Employment Lawyers and is listed as one of the top 10 employment lawyers in Queensland and in to the top 3 in Brisbane


Rebecca Pezzutti, Legal Practice Director, IRiQ Law
Rebecca is an employment and safety lawyer with over 17 years of experience in legal practice and a genuine interest in the practical application of industrial law within modern workplaces and organisations. She leads the firm’s workplace, industrial relations and safety practice and partners with clients to deliver legal outcomes that make sense and add value. Rebecca’s employment and safety practice covers strategic, complex and sensitive workplace issues, including complex employee relations case management, investigations and disputes. Rebecca is an experienced advocate in the Fair Work Commission, Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Federal Court and other state and federal tribunals.


Kate Denning, Principal, Denning Insurance Law
Kate is an Accredited Personal Injury Law Specialist, with over 19 years’ experience in insurance and Queensland personal injury law. She is the Principal of Denning Insurance Law, a Doyles Guide recommended compensation law firm, which represents people and businesses in personal injury and insurance disputes. Prior to opening her own practice, Kate acted on behalf of workers’ compensation insurers, general insurers, CTP insurers and major corporations.


Alanna Fitzpatrick, Partner, K&L Gates
Alanna is an experienced workplace health and safety lawyer. She is a responsive, pragmatic and empathetic lawyer who assists her clients to navigate the serious safety incidents and accidents. She assists clients respond to and engage with regulators undertaking investigations following safety incidents in a manner that is designed to ensure that the risk of reputational damage and personal/corporate prosecution is minimised. Alanna is also an experienced front end safety lawyer, providing compliance advice to a range of organisations to understand and discharge their obligations under safety legislation and for officers, developing a suite of material to enable those officers to discharge their duty to exercise due diligence. Alanna delivers engaging and informative presentations on safety related topics include crisis management, due diligence and managing the risk of psychosocial harm. She is experienced in dealing with a wide range of employment matters including executive employment issues, performance management, grievances, disciplinary matters, discrimination and termination of employment. Alanna has a particular focus on assisting employers to manage ill and injured employees and restraint of trade matters. Alanna is a commercially focussed and pragmatic litigator. She has assisted clients to litigate individual and collective disputes in the Fair Work Commission as well as disputes and regulatory prosecutions in the Federal Court and Supreme Court of Queensland. Alanna has advised her clients on all types of workplace investigations and undertakes workplace investigations, particularly those relating to bullying allegations and sexual harassment. Alanna has advised companies in various industries including agriculture, aviation, construction, energy and resources, medical and pharmaceutical, retail, higher education, government departments and government owned corporations.


Stephen Hughes, Legal Practice Manager, Rin Kim Law
Stephen Hughes, a QLS accredited specialist, is a workplace relations and personal injuries lawyer with over 30 years' experience. Stephen's practice to date has a substantial litigation focus in State and Federal courts and Commissions. Stephen is regularly invited to speak and chair at numerous specialist conferences on work health and safety, employment law, discrimination, bullying, harassment, social media and personal injuries law. Since 1993, Stephen has been the Honorary Solicitor and an ex officio Board Member for the Australian Society of Rehabilitation Counsellors Inc. In 2021 Stephen was awarded an ASORC Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his many decades of service.