Compliance with Modern Awards and Entitlements
With over 120 Modern Awards applying to a range of businesses and employees in Australia, the experienced employment law team at Long Saad Woodbridge will ensure you are compliant with those relevant to your business. Understanding which Modern Award(s) may apply to your business and employees will become a simplified task with the guidance of our lawyers.
Employees are also entitled to a range of other entitlements in accordance with the National Employee Standards including maximum weekly hours, parental leave and related entitlements, community service leave and more. Our employment law team can assist your business and guarantee your peace of mind by ensuring your business’ compliance with all relevant laws relating to your employee’s entitlements.
Workplace behaviour including Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment
We understand the impact that allegations of workplace discrimination, bullying or harassment may have on you and your business. Our experienced employment law team at Long Saad Woodbridge assist in resolving such allegations in a prompt and discrete fashion. We can provide your business with support.
Employers have a duty to ensure that the workplace is free of discrimination, bullying and harassment. We safeguard businesses by conducting annual workplace training for staff. Our employment law team have worked with several corporate clients to create training programs and workshops to ensure directors, line managers and senior employees are aware of the rights and obligations under Australian employment law.
We provide representation for employers in discrimination, bullying and harassment claims. This representation extends from the commencement of negotiations, throughout any mediation or conciliation, in commissions such as the Australian Human Rights Commission, all the way to any proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia.
Performance Management
As an employer, you may have underperforming employees from time to time. The way in which you address the situation is very important to ensure minimum disruption to business and to meet statutory requirements of a fair opportunity afforded to your employees, to allow them to improve their performance. This must be carefully done ensuring that you comply with any applicable employment agreement, award, and enterprise agreement. Doing so is crucial to avoid any potential unfair dismissal claims brought under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), which can be a lengthy, distracting and expensive process for you and your business.
Our employment law team at Long Saad Woodbridge Lawyers develop and implement appropriate performance management plans and procedures to best deal with specific underperforming employee(s) in any circumstance.
Employment Policies and Handbooks
Whilst as an employer you are not legally required to have an employee handbook, you do have a legal obligation to ensure staff are aware of their rights and responsibilities. Having a well written employee handbook is the most effective way to minimise ambiguity by ensuring employees can clearly identify what is expected of them, their employer and their co-workers in the workplace. This in turn may protect you from potential claims made by employees as you can easily prove the employee was made aware of the expectations and obligations of their employment through provision and access to the employee handbook.
It is also crucial to regularly update and recirculate your employee handbook as Australian employment laws are continually being amended and new laws introduced altering employment standards. Our experienced employment law team can assist you in drafting an employee handbook or reviewing your current employee handbook to ensure it is up-to-date with Australian legal requirements.
