Employment
There are laws that affect how you work, including laws that protect you from unlawful discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment, and unfair dismissal.
You can be employed in a number of ways: full-time, part-time or casual. Full-time and part-time employees are usually employed on a permanent basis or on a fixed term contract. Casual workers are hired to work irregularly.
Working conditions
The working conditions of most employees in Australia are set by the National Employment Standards. These 12 standards include maximum weekly hours of work, leave, public holidays, and notice of termination and redundancy pay.
All employees working in Australia are entitled to a minimum wage. For most employees, the minimum wage is set by the award that covers their industry or occupation. The National Minimum Wage applies to employees not covered by an award or registered agreement.
NSW public sector and local government employees are regulated by the NSW system.
Online books
The Find Legal Answers Tool Kit is a collection of plain English books about the law. You can read them online or at your local public library.
Use the Tool Kit online books below to find information about employment law.
The law handbook: your practical guide to the law in NSW
A practical guide to the law.
Useful links
- Legal Aid – My job
- Legal Aid NSW – Ripped off: Your rights about unpaid wages and entitlements at work
- Fair Work Ombudsman
- Fair Work Commission – Agreements and Awards
- Fair Work Commission – Minimum wages and conditions
Legislation
The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) regulates most employment arrangements in Australia.
Unfair dismissal
Unfair dismissal is when an employee is dismissed from their job in a harsh, unjust or unreasonable manner.
Online books
The Find Legal Answers Tool Kit is a collection of plain English books about the law. You can read them online or at your local public library.
Use the Tool Kit online books below to find information about employment law.
The law handbook: your practical guide to the law in NSW
A practical guide to the law.
Useful links
Discrimination
It is illegal to treat someone unfairly in the workplace because of certain characteristics, such as their gender identity, sexual orientation, race, or age.
Online books
The Find Legal Answers Tool Kit is a collection of plain English books about the law. You can read them online or at your local public library.
Use the Tool Kit online books below to find information about employment law.
The law handbook: your practical guide to the law in NSW
A practical guide to the law.
Useful links
Getting help
Legal Aid NSW, community legal centres and other organisations may give free legal help to people with a legal problem in NSW.
Find more sources of help on the Getting help page.
Legal information at the State Library
The Library has a large collection of textbooks, legal commentaries, legal encyclopaedias, databases, journals, legislation and court reports - everything you need for advanced legal research.