Practical, cost effective and timely employee relations advice and solutions

Hunter Employee Relations assists senior managers dealing with difficult/problem employees, disciplinary processes, investigations, terminations, Unfair Dismissals, General Protections & Sexual Harassment claims. 

  

As a senior manager you may face a variety of people concerns and challenges:

• Difficult or toxic behaviours including bullying that damage the workplace culture.

• Stressful conversations in counselling and performance management.

• Poor attitudes showing up in the form of absenteeism, low quality work, or disrespectful behaviours.

• Compliance with the Award, Enterprise Agreement, NES and the Fair Work Act. 

• Not being aware of your legal boundaries - 'how can I terminate and not get into trouble in Fair Work'.

 

Australian industrial relations laws are complex and designed to protect employee rights

• Employers are reluctant to deal with a workplace employee problem not knowing the detailed employment laws.

• General Protections Claims – easy to access by disgruntled or terminated employees and there is no cap on compensation. 

• Unfair Dismissals – where the employer is made to feel they must get every small procedural step correct 

• Australian Human Rights Commission – where the compensation settlement claims for alleged harassment are outrageous

• Where no-win, no-fee solicitors are forcing employers into expensive unjust settlements 

 

Every termination carries a significant legal risk for employers.

Hunter Employee Relations recently assisted a small business client with a General Protections claim following a legitimate termination after 4 weeks employment. The employee had lied about their trade qualifications and simply could not do the work he was employed to do and was well paid for.

After lodging a General Protections claim against the employer, the employee’s no-win, no-fee solicitor threatened Federal Court action if my client didn’t pay up on his $25,000 unjustified compensation claim. We refused to play his game of extortion.

He walked away with nothing.

There has been a big increase in such ‘no-win, no-fee’ solicitors who often milk the system with baseless claims.

I strongly detest this extortion approach to industrial relations – it’s totally unacceptable and dishonest.

Employers can’t stop these baseless legal claims so let’s take them on from a position of strength.

 

Hunter Employee Relations can assist you to 

• Deal with those everyday employee relations issues – personal leave, hours of work, Awards

• Implement Employment Contracts, a Code of Conduct and Policies and Procedures.

• Fix an ongoing employee underperformance, or attitude or behavioural issues 

• Tackle a difficult employee which can be quite stressful 

• Sort out a complex bullying or harassment incident without making it legally worse for the company 

• Terminate a difficult employee minimising your legal risk

• Closely guide managers through Unfair Dismissals, General Protections and Sexual Harassment claims – minimising costs and stress 

We take a practical and systematic approach to control an issue and find a solution. 

This often results in a faster and cheaper outcome for you.

 

Services About Us

Michael provided us with a strategy that saved us thousands of dollars

My business partner and I first worked with Michael to resolve a complex employee relations issue. In one short meeting we developed a strategy that saved us tens of thousands of dollars in compensation payments.

Since then we have been relying on Michael’s specialist advice and guidance. While we may be dealing with difficult legal employment questions he gives us plain English options and recommendations. And always with the best interest of our business in mind.

Robin Fridell , Managing Director, The Modern Group Newcastle