Employment & Workplace Advisory

Employment & workplace advisory services

Strategic human resources support

We are highly regarded for our pragmatic and creative human resources solutions. We work closely with our clients to customise solutions based on the on-the-ground environment, including the drafting and negotiation of employment contracts and arrangements, managing injured and ill employees, performance management and employee exits.

We also work with clients to prevent, investigate and effectively manage employee complaints, particularly in relation to unlawful discrimination and bullying and harassment.

Our advice in relation to worker engagement, including the utilisation of independent contractors and outsourcing arrangements, enables our clients to achieve flexible and efficient workforces which develop with (rather than adjunct to) their organisation.

Dispute resolution

Where disputes are unavoidable, we work closely with clients to seek fast, effective resolution of employment and industrial disputes through co-operation, not conflict.

Our team has considerable experience in sensitive and complex workplace litigation, appearing for clients in State and Federal courts and tribunals. We have acted in leading cases relating to the jurisdiction of the Fair Work Act, the enforcement of employment contracts, confidential information, restraint of trade and adverse action claims.

We advise and run high impact litigation in close partnership with our clients to deliver the best result every time.

Organisational restructuring

Our workplace lawyers partner with the Firm’s commercial team to deliver comprehensive and big picture solutions to issues resulting from acquisitions, divestments and organisational restructures.

As well as assisting with the management of employment relations through periods of structural change and business realignment, we advise on due diligence issues, variation of employment contracts, redundancies, the transfer of superannuation and other benefits, and strategies to integrate the workforce.

Our team is particularly experienced in managing the renegotiation of employee agreements, wage claims and the transfer of obligations to new employers.

Executive remuneration

Our highly commercial practice makes us ideally placed to advise in relation to executive remuneration, incentive schemes (including nuanced employee share option plans) and the attraction and retention of key executives.

This work requires our team to delve deeply into our client’s organisations to ensure that the employment framework delivers high performing leaders, organisation stability and sets in motion strategic succession planning.

Industrial relations and collective bargaining

Our team works in co-ordination with clients to plan, negotiate and implement enterprise agreements, resolve industrial disputes and strategically managing industrial relations. This area of our practice is highly responsive and adaptable to both the bargaining environment and differing levels of client expertise and involvement. The team has substantial experience in negotiations between unions and employers and employer groups.

Human resources policies and structuring

Workplace policies and structuring provide a strong foundation by which an organisation can effectively guide and manage future, current and former employees. We support clients to tailor make, and implement, policies that are effective and relevant to their workforce.

Our team also offers customised training to clients’ in-house human resources teams and/or employee groups, and conducts audits to ensure compliance with relevant employment legislation.

Taxation issues

Our workplace and tax specialists work seamlessly to provide solutions on a range of tax-related employment law issues, including employee share schemes, settlement issues, PAYG withholding obligations, salary packaging, fringe benefits tax, redundancy schemes and superannuation law.