employment

If an employment issue arises in the workplace you need to resolve it promptly. The longer it drags on, the greater the potential damage to not just the business, but also staff morale. There’s a risk this will then flow through to performance, customers and damage reputations.

Our team understand the need to resolve workplace matters quickly by taking a commercial and pragmatic approach. We understand the emotionally charged environment around workplace matters and the need for a level head to bring them to a satisfactory conclusion.

Our lawyers are skilled at working through various types of disputes, including unfair dismissal, adverse action, bullying and discrimination claims. We also assist clients in breach of contract matters, including the enforcement of post-employment restraints and protection of confidential information.

If an employment issue arises in the workplace you need to resolve it promptly. The longer it drags on, the greater the potential damage to not just the business, but also staff morale. There’s a risk this will then flow through to performance, customers and damage reputations.

Our team understand the need to resolve workplace matters quickly by taking a commercial and pragmatic approach. We understand the emotionally charged environment around workplace matters and the need for a level head to bring them to a satisfactory conclusion.

Our lawyers are skilled at working through various types of disputes, including unfair dismissal, adverse action, bullying and discrimination claims. We also assist clients in breach of contract matters, including the enforcement of post-employment restraints and protection of confidential information.

The team advises on compliance and assists clients in underpayment of wages claims, Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) investigations, redundancies, performance management and industrial relations matters. They also advise on workplace policies and contracts that aim to avoid disputes.

Together with our Safety and specialist Migration teams, we deliver the full suite of employment services Australian employers need.

Read More

services

  • Award compliance
  • Bullying claims
  • Discrimination and harassment
  • Employment and independent contractor agreements
  • Enterprise bargaining and industrial action
  • Executive benefits
  • General protections/adverse action
  • Award compliance
  • Bullying claims
  • Discrimination and harassment
  • Employment and independent contractor agreements
  • Enterprise bargaining and industrial action
  • Executive benefits
  • General protections/adverse action
  • Human resources policies and procedures
  • Investigations
  • Managing fitness for work issues
  • Managing poor performance and misconduct
  • Restraints
  • Restructuring and redundancies
  • Tailored training
  • Terminations
  • Unfair dismissals
Read More

what our clients say

"The Melbourne employment team at Macpherson Kelley is knowledgeable, responsive and refreshingly pragmatic in its approach. Luke Gattuso in particular is highly recommended." Paul Gordon In-house Counsel/Company Secretary Redbubble
“The Macpherson Kelley employment team always provides quick, insightful solutions to the issues they help us with. Their expertise and no nonsense approach to solving problems are qualities I especially commend. It gives me great peace of mind to know I have Macpherson Kelley in my corner.” Nick McDonald CEO Prestige Inhome Care

recent experience

  • managing redundancy process

    The foreign owned subsidiary of a motor vehicle accessories company decided to close down its local operations and needed assistance handling its redundancy process. Macpherson Kelley led the entire process for the company, advising on risks, preparing documentation, undertaking individual meetings with employees and assisting with discussions and negotiations. As a result of the process, no claims were made against the client.

  • advising on regulator investigation

    When a client in the retail sector faced a FWO investigation into payment of wages and award compliance issues they turned to Macpherson Kelley. We advised the company on the process and liaised with the FWO on their behalf. We helped them develop new workplace policies and contracts, demonstrating they were taking proactive steps to deal with the issues. With our assistance, the client avoided prosecution and achieved a favourable outcome.

  • contract breach

    An employer became suspicious a former employee was soliciting clients in breach of restraint clauses in his contract. The employer also became aware the former employee had taken confidential information about clients when he left the company. Macpherson Kelley initiated an investigation by engaging a private investigator and took legal action against the former employee. Following negotiations, we were able to secure restraints on the former employee to prevent him from continuing his actions contacting clients, as well as significant damages for our client.

why choose mk?
discover what makes macpherson kelley different