Employment Law — All States & Territories
Employment Lawyers — Know Your Rights at Work.
Whether you have been dismissed, underpaid, discriminated against, or pressured to sign away your rights — Australian employment law provides strong protections. But most claims have strict time limits, and the window to act closes faster than most people realise. Get connected with an employment lawyer for a free, confidential consultation.
⚠ Unfair dismissal claims must be lodged with the Fair Work Commission within 21 days of dismissal taking effect. General protections claims: 21 days. Missing the deadline means losing your right to claim. Get advice now.
Employment Law Practice Areas
Every workplace legal issue — from dismissal to discrimination.
Select the area that matches your situation. Each page covers the specific rights, time limits, process, and what to expect — and connects you with an employment lawyer.
Unfair Dismissal
Dismissed without valid reason, without warning, or without a fair process? The 21-day FWC time limit applies from the day dismissal takes effect.
Get unfair dismissal help →General Protections
Dismissed or disadvantaged because you exercised a workplace right, took sick leave, or made a complaint? General protections (adverse action) apply — with no minimum employment requirement.
Get general protections help →Workplace Discrimination
Treated differently because of age, sex, disability, race, pregnancy, or another protected attribute? State and federal anti-discrimination law provides remedies.
Get discrimination help →Underpayment & Wage Theft
Not paid your correct rate, entitlements, overtime, or super? Underpayment is a serious legal breach — employers can face back-pay orders, penalties, and now criminal prosecution.
Get underpayment help →Redundancy & Severance
Was your redundancy genuine? Are you entitled to redundancy pay, notice, and accrued entitlements? Employers must follow a genuine consultation process — skipping it can void the redundancy.
Get redundancy help →Harassment & Bullying
Repeated unreasonable behaviour that creates a risk to your health? Workplace bullying applications can be made to the FWC. Sexual harassment claims are now covered under the Sex Discrimination Act.
Get harassment help →Restraint of Trade
Non-compete, non-solicitation, or confidentiality clause limiting your ability to work after leaving? Restraints are often unenforceable — legal advice before signing or leaving is critical.
Get restraint of trade help →Employment Contracts
New contract to review? Dispute about what your contract entitles you to? Terms that override your award or NES entitlements? Employment contract advice protects both employees and employers.
Get contract help →Why Time Limits Matter
Employment law rights expire — often faster than you think.
Most employment claims have strict statutory time limits. Missing them means losing your right to claim, regardless of how strong your case is.
Unfair dismissal: 21 days
An unfair dismissal application must be lodged with the Fair Work Commission within 21 days of the dismissal taking effect. The date is typically the last day of employment — not when you receive the formal letter, not when you clear out your desk. Missing this deadline by even one day extinguishes the right to claim.
General protections dismissal: 21 days
A general protections claim involving dismissal must also be lodged with the FWC within 21 days. Unlike unfair dismissal, general protections claims have no minimum employment period — casual employees and those who have been employed for less than 6 months can still claim.
Discrimination complaints: 24 months (federal) or shorter
Discrimination complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission must generally be lodged within 24 months of the alleged conduct. State anti-discrimination bodies often have shorter time limits — as little as 12 months in some states. The body you lodge with can affect your remedy options significantly.
Underpayment claims: 6 years
Claims for underpayment of wages, entitlements, and superannuation have a 6-year limitation period — but this does not mean waiting is safe. Evidence of hours worked and pay received becomes harder to obtain over time, and employer records may not be preserved. Early advice on collecting the right evidence protects your claim.
Redundancy — the clock starts at dismissal
A redundancy that was not genuine — where the employer did not genuinely consult, where the position continued in substance, or where redeployment was available — can be challenged as an unfair dismissal. The 21-day unfair dismissal time limit applies from the effective date of the redundancy, not from when you suspect something was wrong.
Why early legal advice makes the difference
Employment lawyers advise on whether you have a claim, what it is worth, and what evidence you need before it becomes unavailable. Many employees wait too long — or take a settlement without knowing what they were entitled to. A free consultation before the time limit expires costs nothing and can change the outcome significantly.
How It Works
One request. The right employment lawyer.
Describe your workplace situation — what happened, when it happened, and your state. An employment lawyer will follow up for a free, confidential consultation.
Submit Your RequestDescribe your situation
Tell us what happened — dismissal, underpayment, discrimination, harassment — your state, and any time limits or deadlines you are aware of.
Matched to an employment lawyer
Your request is matched to an employment lawyer experienced in your specific issue and jurisdiction — FWC matters, state tribunal claims, and Federal Court proceedings.
Free consultation arranged
An employment lawyer contacts you for a free consultation — advising on your rights, the strength of your claim, and the best pathway forward before any time limit expires.
About Employment Law
How Australian employment law works.
Australian employment law operates at both federal and state levels. The primary federal framework is the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), which governs most private sector employees through the National Employment Standards (NES), Modern Awards, and Enterprise Agreements. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) is the national workplace relations tribunal.
The National Employment Standards set minimum entitlements for all national system employees — including maximum weekly hours, leave entitlements, flexible work requests, notice periods, and redundancy pay. These standards cannot be contracted out of — any contract term that gives less than the NES is void to the extent of the inconsistency.
Modern Awards set minimum pay rates and conditions for specific industries and occupations. Even if you are not covered by an award, Enterprise Agreement conditions cannot fall below the NES.
Anti-discrimination law operates at both federal and state levels. Federal legislation — the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the Age Discrimination Act 2004 — prohibits discrimination in employment on protected grounds. Each state and territory also has its own anti-discrimination laws that may provide broader protection.
General protections under the Fair Work Act protect employees from adverse action taken because they exercised a workplace right — including making a complaint, taking leave, joining a union, or participating in industrial action. These protections apply regardless of employment duration and apply to casual employees.
State-based employment law still applies to certain employers — including state government employees, some sole traders, and workers in industries not covered by the federal system. An employment lawyer can advise on which framework applies to your employment relationship.