At the core of this practice area, is the provision of advice to employers on the complex and ever-changing workplace relations legislative environment and the impact change will have on their business and employees. We identify future risks and problems and put strategies in place to address them.

We have conducted industrial cases in most jurisdictions including the Federal Court, the Industrial Relations Commission, the County Court, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, the Federal Magistrates’ Court and the Magistrates’ Court.

We pride ourselves on being able to appear as advocates on behalf of clients, rather than having to depend on barristers for representation. This ensures that clients have certainty and continuity in relation to the persons representing them at court or in the commission.

We also have extensive experience in representing clients in the complicated area of occupational health and safety prosecutions, including industrial death cases. These cases require quick and decisive advice, as well as strategic support during the running of the case.

Harwood Andrews Lawyers also has extensive experience in advising on the following industrial relations matters:

• complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination
• workplace policies including sexual harassment, discrimination, workplace bullying and dispute resolution
• unfair dismissal, unlawful termination and common law wrongful termination
• drawing executive agreements
• drawing common law contracts and a wide range of industrial instruments such as Australian Workplace Agreements
• defending prosecutions by the Workplace Ombudsman
• transmission of business
• termination of employment
• the interpretation of the Workplace Relations Act and its regulations, as well as the Long Service Leave Act
• underpayment of wages claims
• restraint of trade clauses, confidentiality and protection of intellectual property
• interpretation of awards and other industrial instruments.