The majority of Australian workers are covered by the provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) with the general exceptions being some State and local government employees may instead be subject to the employment laws of their particular state.

Irrespective of the type of law which a worker is subject to, there are still a number of statutory provisions which govern the rights of employees that deal with: pay, termination of employment, unfair dismissal, redundancy, workplace discrimination, workplace bullying, racial discrimination, sexual harassment, employee entitlements (sick leave, annual leave, carer’s leave, long service leave), paid parental leave, occupational health and safety (OHS), are just some of the matters that the various employment Acts deal with.

Besides legislative protections, Australian employees can also turn to bodies such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Australia or as a last resort, the Federal Court of Australia, if any workplace issue arises.

Unfortunately, employees can sometimes experience difficulties in the workplace regarding their rights, and if you are facing an issue that requires legal attention, there are many legal practitioners on the FindLaw Directory who will be able to help with your matter.

Find a Lawyer