Why TOPEX is a must attend event 

As Fiji’s business community begins to gear up for the flagship event of the year, the Top Executive Conference (TOPEX) 2025, there is a pressing topic that cannot be ignored: the coming overhaul of the Employment Relations Act 2007 (ERA) and what it means for employers and business leaders across Fiji. Hosted by the Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF), TOPEX 2025 will be held at Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island from 20–22 November.

One of the high-profile speakers at TOPEX, Jon Apted, partner at leading law firm Munro Leys will tackle what the proposed ERA changes mean for you— and frankly, what they should make you worry about. Apted has long been recognised for his work in constitutional, employment, administrative and commercial law. 

How ERA will affect you 

Fiji’s economy is recovering, but the headwinds remain: supply-chain fragility, labour migration, the rising cost of doing business.  Against that backdrop FCEF has emphasised that TOPEX 2025 is not just a networking event but a call to action—businesses cannot simply stand still while the landscape changes. 

Enter the ERA amendments. According to Munro Leys, the draft Employment Relations (Amendment) Bill 2025 introduces sweeping changes: instant fines for employers, strict liability for under-paid wages, fines of up to millions of dollars, criminal liability for directors in some cases, and empowered labour inspectors. – Fijivillage

For employers this means both operational cost and risk has shot up. What was once maybe a policy oversight or payroll glitch could now trigger large penalties or even prosecution. One recent article reported that:

In short: if you are running a business in Fiji (which you are, if your organisation is represented at TOPEX), you cannot afford to sit back and hope “nothing happens”.

What Jon Apted will bring to the table

With his background in legislative drafting and legal advocacy, Jon Apted is uniquely placed to guide executives through the maze of risks and responses. At TOPEX 2025 he will decode the ERA-amendment minefield — what the changes mean, how they may be applied, what grey zones remain.

More importantly, he’ll highlight how these legal developments intersect with the wider business challenges that FCEF has been emphasising: labour shortages, regulatory burden, cost pressures, and the imperative for businesses to transform, innovate and adapt quickly. If you treat the ERA changes as a footnote, you may find yourself blindsided

Immediate calls to action

Here are some immediate calls to action for business leaders:

• Attend the Standing Committtee on Economic Affairs public consultations – at this stage only Ba, Suva, Nasinu, and Nausori remain.
• Make a submission with your views to the standing committee
• If you are part of a member organisation, or associations, put out a statement to the media with your views.
• Use TOPEX as a platform not just for networking but for scenario-planning: what happens if the law passes in its current form? Where are the exposure points in my organisation?
• Engage with policy advocates. The fact that FCEF is the event organiser means this is also your forum to influence the conversation—regulatory change is coming, but the form it takes may still be shaped by the private sector voice.
  

TOPEX 2025 is more than an annual conference—it is a signal. A signal that change is coming and that the business environment in Fiji will not simply revert to “business as usual”. With the ERA amendments looming large, Jon Apted’s session becomes one of the must-attend presentations: because what you do—or fail to do—in the next few months could determine not just compliance, but your organisation’s legal exposure and strategic resilience.

Prepare for the unexpected, act while you can still steer, not after you’ve been forced to respond. At TOPEX 2025, fear may be a useful motivator—but so is action.

Registrations for TOPEX is open with limited seats left. Book your seat today! Click here to register!