WITH the Federal Government’s new workplace legislation Workchoices now in place the hospitality industry is being urged to get educated about the new system.

Australian Hotels Association and Restaurant & Catering Australia are both running a series of workshops around the country for employers in the industry to find out about the implications for them.

R&C is conducting 59 seminars in metropolitan and regional areas across Australia throughout April and May while the AHA will conduct more than 30 in NSW alone.

R&C Australia CEO John Hart said it was vital all restaurant and catering businesses, small, medium, and large, gained an understanding of the changes and how they can benefit from them.

He said that the changes provided additional flexibilities in employment arrangements that compliment the unique nature of the of restaurant and catering industry.

“The flexibility is ultimately what service businesses, like cafes, restaurants and caterers need,” Hart said.

R&C Australia said businesses that are companies and those that are in Victoria and the Territories would be immediately affected by Workchoices but that every restaurant and catering business should consider whether it is worth opting into the new system.

AHA senior IRadviser, Phillip Ryan said the new system offered many advantages when it came to organising staff in an industry that had such fluctuations in staffing needs particularly in seasonal areas.