Twilight Seminar - Practitioner update on Supply Chain Liability

About this seminar

With regulators in the employment relations space increasingly making use of legislation to enforce obligations owed at the employee level on upstream companies and franchisors, practitioners need to be fully aware of potential liabilities being incurred by their clients for the omissions of contractors, franchisees and others directly engaging labour.

Recent high profile investigations by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the chicken processing, cleaning services and trolley collection sectors demonstrate the willingness of regulators to partner with top level companies and franchisors to reduce the risk of underpayments of staff engaged by their suppliers and service providers. Like, the publicised case of ‘7 eleven’ show regulators keen to make use of the 2017 changes to the Fair Work Act to protect vulnerable workers. 

Find out exactly how the key regulator in our area enforces these wide powers, as well as hearing from a major public company who have implemented a number of measures to ensure suppliers and service providers remain compliant.”

Speakers

Cletus Brown | Director Knowledge - Strategy, Engagement and Communications Group - Fair Work Ombudsman

He has more than 20 years’ experience in the workplace relations field and has held managerial roles in key operational positions in all major reforms over the last 10 or so years including the introduction of WorkChoices, the Fair Work Act and the implementation of modern awards.

In his current role, Cletus is in charge of the team that manages Enforceable Undertakings and Compliance Partnerships as well as the team responsible for determining the FWO’s position on modern award provisions.

This last responsibility sees Cletus’ team heavily involved in monitoring the workings of the Modern Award Review to ensure the regulator is ready to provide advice and assistance to workplaces.

Rajat Shah - Compliance Auditor & Investigator - Woolworths Food Group

Rajat is a qualified accountant, having completed CPA in Australia and CA in India, with over 10 years of global experience in Auditing, Finance and Compliance functions within industries ranging from Financial Services to Leisure, Retail and Professional Services.

Currently he works with Woolworths Group Limited in the Facilities Management division where their team manages workplace compliance within the supply chain, particularly in the cleaning and trolley collection vertical. They provide guidance, advice and assurance to all stakeholders on workplace compliance and risk management through interpreting FWO Award, conducting regular audits and investigations.

Prior to that he was working in the internal audit team with Ardent Leisure Ltd. providing assurance to the Board with regards to corporate risk management for the Australia and US businesses.

He started working with the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd, the second largest stock exchange in the world, in a regulatory supply chain auditor role in 2010. Post that, he worked with Principal Financial Group of US, where he set up their risk and audit function in India.

Currently, he is also on the Committee of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) in Brisbane.

Finger food and drinks will be provided