Glossary

Orientation

Helping a new employee get accustomed to their new work environment and the job they will be doing. A successful transition into a new role or company can help reduce the time it takes for the new worker to be productive and increases the chance of them staying with the company for longer.

Before a new worker arrives, all existing employees should be informed of the new worker. The business should also prepare documents for the new worker, such as a detailed job description, history and background of the business, company culture and workplace policies.

Depending on the complexity of the role, orientation can last for a few days or several weeks.

Otherwise Working Day (OWD)

A day where an employee would normally be expected to work. It is important for employers to determine when an employee is either rostered or expected to work, as it affects when they can take paid leave.

For example, employees are entitled to take paid leave (i.e. on a public holiday, sick leave, bereavement leave) only on days that are otherwise working days.

If an employee has an irregular work pattern, the employer must check the terms of the employment agreement along with the employee’s usual work pattern and the reasonable expectation for them to work on certain days or during peak periods.

Overpayment

When an employee accidentally receives more money than they are entitled to. This kind of mistake can happen due to a simple misunderstanding, an error in the payroll system or incorrect documents/timesheets.

In some circumstances, an employer may be able to reclaim the amount of the overpayment from the employee, but only if it is done within time frames specified in legislation.