6. Incorporated Organisations as a Workplace

If an incorporated association employs people to run the organisation, the way the roles and responsibilities of the board are exercised will depend on who is employed and the size of the workforce. In a small organisation, board members may play an active part in setting conditions of work and monitoring the work of the employees (apart from recruitment). Board members are responsible for the wellbeing and working conditions of the staff and volunteers. There will usually be a manager employed to take care of the day-to-day operations of the organisation and staffing. 

As an employer the organisation has to comply with a number of commonwealth laws which protect the rights of employees, including: 

  • Disability Discrimination Act 1992
  • Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975
  • Sex Discrimination Act 1984
  • Superannuation Guarantee Charge Act 1992
  • Workplace Relations Act 1996
  • Privacy Act 1988
  • Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
  • Workers Compensation Act 1987

Each State/ Territory also has relevant legislation, additional to the federal legislation.