Workplace and employment

Expert practitioners committed to assisting clients across a range of industries to manage modern Australian workplaces

We work with directors, senior management, human resources and safety specialists to manage their employment, industrial relations and workplace health and safety matters to comply with regulation, optimise workforce engagement and outcomes, and manage and contain exposure to disputes or litigation.

We also advise businesses and individuals in relation to all aspects of anti-discrimination law and advise private individuals, as employees or contractors, in relation to their employment and workplace matters.

Experience

• Drafting workplace agreements - individual employment agreements, executive service agreements, collective agreements, independent contractor and consultancy agreements, confidentiality agreements, restraint of trade agreements, secondment agreements, labour hire and recruitment agreements
• Drafting workplace policies - performance management and discipline, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment, workplace bullying, use of drugs and alcohol, complaint handling, whistleblower protection, use of email and information technology, use of social media, intellectual property and confidentiality, safety, privacy, workplace relations management plans 
• Workplace incident investigations, internal complaint handling and mediation of disputes
• Individual performance management and termination of employment 
• Representing executives and directors at an individual level at all stages of their careers, including before signing, during employment, in exit scenarios and post-employment
• Managing personnel issues arising out of operational change and business restructuring 
• Managing external investigations by employment, tax and safety regulators
• Representation in and management of industrial and employment disputes and litigation in all relevant courts and tribunals
• Representation in and management of claims for the protection of intellectual property, confidential information and post-employment restrictions against unfair competition
• Defending safety prosecutions and representation in coronial investigations and inquests
• Defending statutory workers' compensation insurance claims
• Defending and prosecuting anti-discrimination and workplace bullying or sexual harassment complaints
• Sexual harassment awareness training for workers, supervisors, employers and the c-suite and board
• Training for employers and their workforces on a range of topics including, union engagement, anti-discrimination, workplace bullying and as to the conduct of workplace investigations
• Crisis and complex issue management
• Wage underpayment disputes
• Whistleblowing service - provide employers with a 24/7 dedicated telephone service which is available for employees to contact to discuss and report their complaint or issue under the company’s whistleblower policy. Our legally qualified and experienced advisor explains the whistleblower policy to the employee and the process to be followed. 

Recognition

• The head of our Workplace & Employment practice, Andrew Tobin, is named in The Best Lawyers^TM in Australia 2018-2023 editions for Labour and Employment Law, Occupational Health and Safety Law categories.
• HopgoodGanim Lawyers is ranked as Recommended in Doyle's Guide Leading Employment Law Firms (Employer Representation) – Queensland, 2022-2023.  
• Adele Garnett is named in Doyle's Guide Employment & WHS Law Rising Stars – Queensland, 2022.