Induction of Seasonal Workers
Induction of seasonal workers is a demanding business. At the very basic level, workers will need to provide a Tax File Number Declaration Form, be aware of health and safety rules in relation to themselves and the consumer, and be trained in the skills to conduct the work effectively.
Tax File Number Declaration Forms
Informing Centrelink
Health and Safety
Developing Necessary Skills
Click here for a checklist for induction of seasonal workers is available.
Tax File Number Declaration Forms
It may be worthwhile having the tax file number declaration forms on hand to give to workers as they arrive. You can order them from the Australian Tax Office. Alternatively employees may get them from newsagents.
Seasonal/casual workers who are clients of Centrelink, are required to tell Centrelink of their new circumstances when they begin working for you. To do the right thing you should encourage employees to contact Centrelink and provide the required information.
Centrelink may contact you to verify information given to them by your employee. This does not mean that you or the employee have done anything wrong. The Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 requires employers to provide details of employees' earnings when requested by Centrelink. Centrelink does not pay employers for this information.
Health and safety risks include: falling off ladders; contact with chemicals; back strain; injuries from sharp implements such as knives and machetes; injuries caused by improper use of mechanical equipment; exposure to sunlight; and snakes and spiders. There are also risks peculiar to certain industries such as the danger to banana plantation workers from Weill’s disease carried by rats.
Farmers recognise there is a need for adequate health and safety and try to comply with the rules set by Government and the guidelines given by industry. Greater occupational health and safety education of workers is needed for their own benefit and because of the potential cost to farmers and the community of work-related accidents, injury or disease.
Training for new workers is generally provided on the property before workers start. However, this type of training can be hurried as the farmer or supervisor is anxious to get the day started and the worker is anxious to commence earning money.
Consider ways in which you can quickly and effectively relay health and safety information to your workers. The Case Study of the Cherry Patch is an example of one farmer's approach to streamlining health and safety induction of casual seasonal workers.
Inexperienced workers may do quite a bit of damage if they are not taught how to handle produce appropriately. Consider effective ways in which basic work skills can be taught such as:
- Providing written guidelines for each worker
- Diagrams and guidelines on posters in rest areas, washrooms or work sheds
- Placing inexperienced workers under the supervision of more experienced workers
- Giving an experienced worker the job of training and supervising inexperienced workers, and paying a supplemented wage for this role
- Starting experienced workers straight away, but holding inexperienced workers back for the first part of the day for demonstrations and training
- Offering an incentive bonus for meeting defined standards in handling produce.
