As a business operator, you know the meaning of hard work. You pour your time and energy into making your business a success: turning a profit, securing longevity, establishing a reputation. Your employees are critical to your operations. However, wading through the complexities of workplace law is time-consuming and often confusing. Workplace policies and employment contracts and agreements are essential to ensure sound employment practices in your business, but getting everything in order can be a headache.
Excellent employment legal advice is the answer, and we can help. We are Melbourne workplace lawyers with specialised capability in all areas of employment, industrial relations and workplace safety laws.
We offer sensible, commerical employment law advice balanced with a comprehensive understanding of your business.
Expertise
Our workplace lawyers are skilled in working with businesses in various industries, including:
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Retail
- Medical
- Allied health
Services
We assist in all matters related to:
- Employment documents such as:
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- employment contracts for small businesses
- Executive service agreements
- Enterprise agreements
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- Employment entitlements
- Workplace policies and procedures
- Independent contractor agreements
- Unfair dismissal and adverse action claims
- Constructive dismissals
- Termination of employment
- Discrimination
- Bullying and harassment
- Workplace safety
- Union right of entry
- Enterprise bargaining and industrial disputes
- Sales of business and employment
Workplace Law FAQs
Suppose your business employs fewer than 15 employees (whether they are part-time or full-time). In that case, Australian workplace laws classify your business as a small business employer. Casual employees are included if they’re employed on a regular and systematic basis.
We recommend that you have small business employment contracts or agreements for your employees. Even if your employees are permanent, you have obligations under the Fair Work Act and Victorian laws. For example, you must:
- Pay at least the minimum wage
- Comply with leave entitlements and requirements
- Provide safe working conditions that meet legal requirements
- Make superannuation contributions on behalf of your employees
- Maintain workers compensation insurance
As part of our employment law advice, we can prepare employment agreements for your industry, with the proper termination clauses.
There are special requirements for small business employers regarding termination of employment. Small business employers must comply with the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code.
For more information about the Code and termination of employment, contact us.
Small business employers have up to 15 employees (including full-time and part-time employees). Casual employees are included in this number if they are employed on a regular and systematic basis).
If your business has more than 15 employees, it’s considered a larger-sized employer under Australia’s fair work laws.
Some different requirements apply to larger-sized employers, for example:
- Fairly and legally termination requirements; and
- Redundancy payments to any eligible staff
Many businesses are diligent in getting employment law advice when first setting up employment contracts, but reviewing the contracts is sometimes a lower priority.
We recommend that you regularly review your small business employment contracts. You should also conduct a review whenever there are significant changes in your business’s circumstances, for example:
- Growth of the business
- Shrinking of the business
- Change in the industry
- Expansion into another industry
- Change in the way you conduct your business
- Change in the workplace laws which apply to your business
We care about the success of your business
Our workplace lawyers in Melbourne and Victoria can help your business with customised, timely and affordable employment legal advice.
