Award classification review for employers managing mixed roles and pay settings

This service is commonly used by employers who are growing quickly, changing role responsibilities, moving staff between teams, introducing salary or bonus arrangements, or trying to check whether older job descriptions still reflect the work being done. It is also useful where a business has inherited contracts or payroll settings and wants a clearer legal view before making changes. The key issue is not just what a role is called. In many cases, the factual working arrangement can matter as much as the contract wording when classification questions arise.

Common triggers include employees performing mixed duties across different levels, supervisors doing substantial hands-on work, broad internal titles that do not map neatly to an award, or salary arrangements being used without checking the underlying classification. Issues can also appear after restructures, promotions, new incentive plans or contractor conversions. A review looks at the real duties, reporting lines and work patterns rather than relying only on labels in contracts or org charts. That makes it easier to identify where the main legal pressure points are likely to sit.

The service includes a legal review of the roles you ask us to assess, identification of the most relevant Modern Award coverage and classification issues, and a written summary of our advice with practical recommendations. We may also comment on connected issues such as whether your hiring documents, incentive settings or contractor arrangements appear consistent with the classification position being considered. This is broader than a quick answer on a single clause, but it is still a defined fixed-fee review rather than open-ended ongoing support.

It can help where worker status overlaps with award questions, especially if the same role could be viewed differently depending on how the arrangement operates in practice. For example, if a contractor works regular hours under close direction and performs duties similar to employees, that may affect the broader risk picture. This page is for award classification review rather than a full sham contracting investigation, but contractor use can still be relevant context. If a deeper worker-status review is needed, we can discuss additional work separately.

Useful documents usually include employment contracts, job descriptions, position summaries, payroll information, organisational charts and any notes showing what the role actually involves day to day. If duties vary across sites, teams or seasons, that context is worth including as well. The more accurately the practical role is described, the more useful the review will be. After reviewing the material, we provide written advice and outline next steps if your classifications, pay settings or employment documents may need to be updated.

As an online law firm, we eliminate the headaches of paying us by the hour and finding time to meet with a lawyer in person. We charge a fixed fee, with upfront quotes and transparent pricing, and communicate via phone, email and video chat - whichever suits you! You'll be guided through our process by our expert lawyers, who are Australian-qualified and specialise in technology, intellectual property, contract drafting, corporate and commercial law.

At Sprintlaw, our pricing is transparent and designed for startups and small businesses. Many one-off legal services, including document drafting and reviews, are provided for a fixed fee with an upfront quote before you proceed.

Prices typically range from $250 to $2,500 AUD depending on the complexity and scope of the work. For ongoing support, Sprintlaw Memberships include options such as legal templates, consultations, a legal helpline and credits for services.

If your project is larger or more complex, we will provide a tailored quote after understanding what you need.

Our law firm operates completely online, which means we can help you wherever you are in Australia. We work at The Commons Central - a cool co-working space in Chippendale, Sydney - but our lawyers often work flexibly across various locations.

Our lawyers also work from co-working spaces and home offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, so clients can get help online without needing to meet in person.