HRM ASSESSIMENT

Due Date: TUESDAY 4TH April (Week 6) Duration/Length: 1000 Words (+/- 10%) Description: This assessment task requires you to read a number of short documents and then answer a range of questions. The topic under investigation is Sunday penalty rates. Read the following sources which provide a range of stakeholder perspectives on the issue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian Retailers Association (2016), ‘Retail Penalty Rates Debate Nears Conclusion’, Media Release, [login to view URL], 11/4/16. Keating, E. (2016), ‘Concerns over delay in Fair Work Commission decision on Sunday penalty rates’, [login to view URL], 9/9/16. Markey, R. (2015), ‘Myths about penalty rates and those who rely on them’, The Conversation, [login to view URL], 16/11/15. Patty, A. (2016), ‘The future of Sunday penalty rates’, The Sydney Morning Herald, [login to view URL] [login to view URL], 17/7/16. Stanford, J. (2016), ‘The Flawed Economics of Cutting Penalty Rates’, [login to view URL], 8/8/16. Yu, S. and Peetz, D. (2016), ‘Are Sunday penalty rates a job killer? A real-world experiment refutes employers’ claim’, The Conversation, [login to view URL], 18/8/16. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- After reading these documents, address the following questions: 1. In no more than 150 words, provide a concise and objective summary of the key issues and the various stakeholder perspectives. 2. What is the employer case for the reduction in Sunday penalty rates? Would all retailers support this move? Why/why not? 3. Would all current and potential employees be opposed to the reduction in Sunday penalty rates? Why/why not? 4. After weighing up all the evidence and arguments, do you agree with the reduction in Sunday penalty rates? Explain your position. Aims and Objectives This exercise is designed to start students thinking about the range of perspectives held by various stakeholders on employment relations issues. When it comes to debates about employment relations matters, there is no black and white, no right or wrong. Employment relations stakeholders often have different and sometimes competing views, and expected alliances can often shift depending on the issue. Students are encouraged to approach any employment relations matter objectively, recognise that there will be a number of perspectives on the issue, and critically evaluate all viewpoints before arriving at a conclusion. Please read the Marking Guide on page 13. The marking guide sets out the criteria against which your assignment will be marked. Students are responsible for attaching a marking guide and cover sheet to the assignment. Academic Honesty • You must distinguish clearly between your own words and analysis and those of your sources. You must do this by providing appropriate citations using the Harvard method. • Failure to provide appropriate citations is plagiarism. See the academic honesty policy. • Your list of references should include only material cited in the assignment. • This is an individual assessment task – if a submitted assignment is assessed as not being the work of a single author then academic honesty rules apply.