EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

With strengths in: enterprise agreements, disciplinary proceedings, discrimination and equal opportunity issues, employment agreements, industrial law issues, injury, rehabilitation and management, occupational health and safety, public sector employment, superannuation, termination of employment, terms and conditions of employment, workers’ compensation and reconsiderations.

AGS has a strong background in handling matters related to public sector employment law and workplace relations. Over many years, we have contributed to legislative and policy developments in these areas, and provided agencies with day-to-day assistance on these matters. We were involved in developing and implementing the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the Public Service Act 1999, the Work Choices amendments to the Workplace Relations Act, and the Fair Work Act 2009. We have acted as solicitor in many of the landmark workplace relations cases in Australia. We have advised on a large number of public sector certified, collective and enterprise agreements and AWAs.

Our lawyers can:

advise on employment legislation, such as the Public Service Act 1999, the Workplace Relations Act 1996, the Fair Work Act 2009, the Commonwealth long service leave legislation and anti-discrimination laws
advise on transitional issues associated with repeal of the Workplace Relations Act 1996
draft, negotiate and interpret enterprise agreements, individual employment contracts, determinations under s 24(1) of the Public Service Act and consultancy agreements
advise on appointments, workers’ compensation, disciplinary matters, underperformance matters, workplace discrimination, termination of employment and redundancy
advise on occupational health and safety
provide specialist advocacy before disciplinary tribunals, courts and Fair Work Australia
advise and assist with employment and industrial relations issues associated with outsourcing, privatisation and machinery of government changes
advise and assist with employment disputes.

Canberra		Sydney

Leah Edwards T 02 6253 7090 \| F 02 6253 7304		Jim Heard T 02 9581 7477 \| F 02 9581 7528

Melbourne		Brisbane

Craig Rawson T 03 9242 1248 \| F 03 9242 1483		Barry Cosgrove T 07 3360 5647 \| F 07 3360 5798

Perth		Adelaide

Wendy Endebrock-Brown T 08 9268 1113 \| F 08 9268 1772		Rodger Prince T 08 8205 4231 \| F 08 8205 4499

Darwin		Hobart

Thuy Luu-Nguyen T 08 8205 4228 \| F 08 8205 4499		David Wilson T 03 6210 2101 \| F 03 6210 2110

AGS employment and workplace relations law publications

Legal Briefing 91, ‘The Fair Work Act 2009: A primer’, will soon be available to subscribers. The briefing will discuss the new National Employment Standards, terms and conditions of employment, union rights of entry, industrial action, unfair dismissal and transitional issues.

AGS has produced the following publications to assist clients:

Express Law, ‘The new federal workplace relations system’ (8 April 2009)

Express Law, ‘Public holidays for federal system employees’ (30 March 2009)

Express Law, ‘Observing the 2009 Anzac Day Public Holiday’ (23 March 2009)

Legal Briefing No. 89, ‘UWA v Gray: rights to inventions made by employees’ (15 September 2008)

Express Law, ‘Key features of the National Employment Standards’ (5 August 2008)

Express Law, ‘Employers can direct employees to undertake psychiatric assessment’ (22 July 2008)

Express Law, ‘Employers can be obliged to pay redundancy as advised in an estimate’ (19 June 2008)

National contact

Richard Harding
T 02 9581 7671
F 02 9581 7778

Canberra
Sydney
Melbourne
Brisbane
Perth
Adelaide
Darwin
Hobart