National Employment Standards

The National Employment Standards (NES) is a set of eleven minimum entitlements for employees in Australia who are covered by the Fair Work Act 2009.

[3] Minimum standards feature prominently across the industrial relation systems of most modern economies, establishing a floor of workplace rights and entitlements.

Such standards promote fair treatment of workers by protecting job security and working conditions.

[4] Despite the significance of legislated minimum standards internationally, prior to the NES these were confined to basic entitlements at the state level and included public holidays and long service leave.

Inspired by what is considered to be 'neoliberal philosophies', this reform was also intended to displace awards in favour of enterprise bargaining.

Bray and Stewart describe the Fair Work Act as a 'rebalancing' of WorkChoices, and the NES formed part of this reform.

Requests for flexible working arrangements: This standard allows for employees to request a change to their working arrangements where such change relates to any of the circumstances listed in the Act, which includes caring for children or family, disability, age, or family violence.