In most countries across the world, at least some form of employment contract is a legal obligation. More advanced contracts can be developed with the aid of employment lawyers, while some are as simple a generic one-page document outlining basic pay rates and terms of employment.
One of the most common questions we get asked is whether or not employment contracts are mandatory in Australia. And actually, the short answer is that no, they aren’t. Note, though, that it’s generally a very good idea to sign a contract before you commence working to ensure you’re protected from potential issues in the future.
In the rest of this article, we’re going to have a quick look at employment contracts in Australia, when you should use one, and what different types there are.
Why Should I Have an Employment Contract?
If you don’t have to have a contract, then why bother? I mean, in the end, drafting a contract and then later contract negotiations takes time and can cost a significant amount of money – particularly if you do so with the aid of a lawyer.
However, there are numerous reasons why you should always ensure an employment contract is in place before work commences. As an employer, a contract:
- Will protect you is there’s a disagreement about anything from pay to working hours and holiday leave. Without a contract, you’re relying on the honesty of your employee. Unfortunately, this isn’t always wise.
- Will clearly outline the terms of employment, ensuring your employees aren’t expecting anything they aren’t entitled to.
- Will make it easier to legally fire someone if they aren’t performing well. With a contract, you will have clear terms of termination to fall back on if an employee doesn’t take the job seriously or starts misbehaving.
At the same time, there are numerous benefits associated with having an employment contract as an employee. These include:
- Clearly outlined pay rates, which will protect you in the case of disagreements about everything from penalty rates to sick leave and holiday pay.
- Information about your job and it’s term, providing job security and protection from unfair dismissal.
- Terms and conditions regarding employment termination and other matters to ensure you’re protected under the full scope of the law.
What Type of Employment Are There in Australia?
In Australia there are a few different types of employment contracts, which vary according to the type of work you do and how you’re paid. They include:
- Full time, which generally involves a fixed number of work hours per week. Overtime rates generally apply, and full-time employees will be entitled to leave and other benefits.
- Part time, which is similar to full-time, but generally involves fewer hours.
- Casual, which comes with quite flexible hours and, in most cases, slightly higher pay. However, casual contracts don’t usually include things like leave, redundancy pay, or sick pay.
As you can imagine, identifying the correct contract type, drafting a legally binding contract, and ensuring you include everything you need to can be difficult. Because of this, we’d highly recommend speaking with your local employment lawyer to ensure you’re meeting your legal requirements.