Every single individual is entitled to appropriate treatment, be it at school, home or work. In the most basic sense, it might refer to the respect and honour an individual deserves to be treated. However, when we contextualise it, several expected prerequisites need to be fulfilled concerning the location.
There are over 13,022,600 people currently employed in the Australian workforce. This number includes every employee, be it a manager or a wage labourer. But one cannot ignore the possibility that every employee might not be treated respectfully for their work. Due to such ambiguities, there are employment lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and other allied areas who aim to assist workers in getting what they deserve!
In general, every nation has fundamental employer-employee relations that carry specific laws to protect and promote the best interests of the two. For employees, this entails respecting them for the work they do, paying them the promised wage they deserve and equal treatment.
In Australia, there is a separate branch of law that deals with employee rights. It is called Employment Law. The Fair Work Act 2009 is the fundamental Australian law that supports employees by providing the basic standards and minimum conditions to be followed in a workplace.
- Employers have the responsibility to provide a holistic and safe working environment.
- Employees have the right to be treated equally. They cannot be discriminated against based on their gender, class, religion, etc.
- Employees have the right to dispute unfair dismissal from their position.
- In some cases, the employee might be mistreated as a contractor. Employees can dispute and establish their status as employees.
- Employees can also dispute any accusation of a misdemeanour in the workplace.
Australian workplace laws are a few of the most developed frameworks in the entire world. They are designed to provide flexibility and support to both employers and employees. However, employees might need more external help to contest against their employers due to the inherent power structure.
Employment Lawyers
Employment Lawyers in Sydney, Melbourne and other major Australian cities aim to provide the external support employees require. Such teams often comprise highly experienced and skilled lawyers who have specialisation in employment law. Such law firms avoid making outlandish promises and prioritise their client’s safety and legal demands first. Employment lawyers put customer service first and believe that everyone is entitled to due justice.
Employment law firms offer employees and work to represent HR professionals, corporate boards, lawyers, and employers. Here are a few services provided by such law firms:
- Legal Advice: Legal Advice is a service that both employees and employers can avail. While the former deals with ways to combat discrimination, dispute false accusations and be aware of workplace rights, the latter deals with legal advice on performance management, wage calculations, tax advice and contract drafting.
- HR Professionals: Since the laws in Australia are constantly evolving, HR professionals might find it challenging to keep up with the changing regulations. Employment lawyers assist in terminations, drafting new policies, providing staff training and dealing with complex legal issues.
- Lawyers: This sector deals with support to lawyers who specialise in fields other than employment law. Advice to other lawyers happens in the form of consultation sessions where companies or corporate firms reach out to Employment lawyers to assist in related matters. Sometimes, the employment lawyers are allowed to interact with the client directly. Other times, the consultation occurs through a white label arrangement.