Employment Law Articles

Expert articles and practical legal guides on employment law for australian businesses.

Annual Leave Policy Template: What To Include And How To Use It

Annual Leave Policy Template: What To Include And How To Use It

If you employ staff in Australia, annual leave is one of those “must get right” basics. But in practice, it’s easy for things to get messy - especially as your team grows,...

26 May 2026
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Applying Fair Work Weekend Penalty Rates for Australian Employers

Applying Fair Work Weekend Penalty Rates for Australian Employers

Weekend trading is a reality for a lot of Australian small businesses. Whether you run a café, retail shop, allied health practice, trades business, accommodation venue, or an online operation with weekend...

26 May 2026
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Recovering Overpayments From Employees, Contractors And Customers In Australia

Recovering Overpayments From Employees, Contractors And Customers In Australia

Overpayment issues are one of those frustrating business admin problems that can quietly cost your business thousands of dollars over time. Maybe you accidentally paid an employee twice after a payroll change....

25 May 2026
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Quitting During Probation: Employer Rights And Next Steps In Australia

Quitting During Probation: Employer Rights And Next Steps In Australia

Probation periods are designed to give you breathing room when you hire. They’re a chance to confirm the role is right for the business, and for the new hire to work out...

25 May 2026
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Paid Parental Leave Changes in Australia: What Employers Need To Know in 2026

Paid Parental Leave Changes in Australia: What Employers Need To Know in 2026

Are your workplace policies ready for the 2026 paid parental leave changes? Small mistakes can create big compliance risks for employers.

25 May 2026
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Indemnity vs Insurance: Key Differences for Australian Businesses

Indemnity vs Insurance: Key Differences for Australian Businesses

When you’re running a startup or small business, risk shows up everywhere - customer complaints, supplier delays, employee issues, tech outages, and the occasional “we didn’t see that coming” moment. Two of...

25 May 2026
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How To Compensate Employees Under Australian Employment Law

How To Compensate Employees Under Australian Employment Law

Hiring your first team member is a big milestone. It usually means your business is growing, demand is increasing, and you’re ready to stop doing everything yourself. But it also comes with...

25 May 2026
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Managing Workplace Relationships: An Employer Guide for Australian Businesses

Managing Workplace Relationships: An Employer Guide for Australian Businesses

Workplace relationships can expose Australian businesses to conflict, harassment, favouritism and safety risks if they are not managed properly. This

25 May 2026
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Voluntary Separation Payments: Employer Obligations In Australia

Voluntary Separation Payments: Employer Obligations In Australia

If you run a small business, there may come a time when you and an employee agree it’s best to part ways - but you want to do it on good terms,...

25 May 2026
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Formal Performance Management In Australia: A Practical Legal Guide

Formal Performance Management In Australia: A Practical Legal Guide

Managing people is one of the most important (and most challenging) parts of running a small business. When an employee isn’t meeting expectations, it can quickly affect your customers, your team culture...

23 May 2026
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Managing Employee Lateness And Being Late To Work In Australia

Managing Employee Lateness And Being Late To Work In Australia

Most small business owners have dealt with it at some point: an employee is running late, it keeps happening, and you’re left balancing fairness, compliance and the practical needs of your roster....

22 May 2026
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Purchase Leave in Australia: A Guide for Employers

Purchase Leave in Australia: A Guide for Employers

Purchase leave can give employees extra flexibility, but employers need clear written terms, lawful pay deductions and a plan for what happens if

22 May 2026
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Managing Psychosocial Hazards in Australia: Practical Legal Steps

Managing Psychosocial Hazards in Australia: Practical Legal Steps

Running a small business often means wearing multiple hats - manager, salesperson, bookkeeper, and (sometimes) HR all at once. When you’re focused on customers, cashflow and growth, it’s easy to think workplace...

22 May 2026
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What Is a Current Base Salary? A Guide for Australian Employers and Startups

What Is a Current Base Salary? A Guide for Australian Employers and Startups

When you’re hiring your first employee (or your fiftieth), a lot of terms get thrown around: base salary, package, OTE, fixed remuneration, super, allowances, bonuses, loadings and “total cost to company”. And...

22 May 2026
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Employment Contract Template in Word: Australian Employer Guide

Employment Contract Template in Word: Australian Employer Guide

If you’re hiring your first employee (or your fifth) in Australia, it’s completely normal to start by searching for an employment contract template in Word. A Word template feels quick, familiar, and...

22 May 2026
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What To Do When An Employee Leaves Before Their Notice Period In Australia

What To Do When An Employee Leaves Before Their Notice Period In Australia

Even with a great team culture, sometimes you’ll get the message you didn’t expect: an employee is leaving before the notice period ends (or they’ve stopped showing up altogether). When this happens,...

21 May 2026
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Part-Time Employment Definition: Employer Obligations And Examples

Part-Time Employment Definition: Employer Obligations And Examples

If you’re hiring (or already employing) staff, it’s common to ask: what’s the part-time definition in Australia, and how do you make sure you’re classifying part-time employees correctly? This matters more than...

21 May 2026
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How To Calculate Employee Leave Hours In Australia

How To Calculate Employee Leave Hours In Australia

When you’re running a small business, leave management can quickly become one of those tasks that feels “simple” until you actually have to do it. Between part-time arrangements, shift work, overtime patterns...

21 May 2026
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Hostile Work Environment: How Australian Employers Can Identify And Respond

Hostile Work Environment: How Australian Employers Can Identify And Respond

A positive workplace culture doesn’t just “happen” - it’s something you build and protect through clear expectations, consistent leadership and (when needed) decisive action. For many small business owners, the idea of...

21 May 2026
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Show Cause Notice Reply Period For Australian Employers

Show Cause Notice Reply Period For Australian Employers

As a small business employer, there are few workplace moments more stressful than serious misconduct allegations, repeated performance issues, or a situation where you’re considering termination. In Australia, you generally can’t just...

21 May 2026
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Managing Employee Resignations in Australia: An Employer Guide

Managing Employee Resignations in Australia: An Employer Guide

Employee resignations can raise tricky questions about notice, final pay, awards, handovers and post-employment obligations. This employer guide explains

20 May 2026
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How To Manage Excessive Absenteeism Under Australian Employment Law

How To Manage Excessive Absenteeism Under Australian Employment Law

Excessive absenteeism can be one of the fastest ways to throw a small business off track. When a team member is regularly absent (or frequently calls in at short notice), it can...

20 May 2026
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Sexual Harassment Reporting And Response Steps For Small Business Employers

Sexual Harassment Reporting And Response Steps For Small Business Employers

Running a small business is busy enough without having to worry about complex workplace laws. But when it comes to workplace sexual harassment laws, “not knowing” isn’t a defence - and the...

20 May 2026
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RSU Vesting Rules for Startups, Founders and Employees in Australia

RSU Vesting Rules for Startups, Founders and Employees in Australia

If you’re building an Australian startup, you’ve probably heard that equity is one of the best ways to attract and retain great people - especially when cash is tight and you’re growing...

19 May 2026
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