Number and length of classes: 1 x 2 hour lecture (Wednesday 11-1pm) and 1 x 1 hour tutorial per week. The subject is 3 hours face-to-face teaching per week.

Please note: The above information may be subject to timetable change - students must check final timetable before classes commence for confirmation of lecture/tutorial locations. The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at - http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au.

Lecture Information

Lectures are recorded for the main purpose of student 'revision' - not as a substitute for attending 'face-to-face' lectures. This is not an 'online' subject, therefore students are expected to attend lectures.

Signed attendance sheet not required for lectures

Please note: Due to the changing legal environment in the employment area - lecture slides on iLearn may be subject to ongoing updates at short notice.

Tutorial Information

Students must attend their assigned tutorial class

Tutorials start in week 2 of the semester

Please note: The Unit Convenor/Lecturer/Tutors cannot change your tutorial times, any tutorial changes must be finalised through formal Department online processes.

It is expected that you come to tutorial classes prepared. This means doing the necessary readings and answering tutorial problems before the tutorial class

Attendance will be taken at each tutorial session. Please ensure that you sign the attendance sheet: if you miss a tutorial please send an email notifying your tutor (not the Unit Convenor) and (if necessary) provide appropriate documentation (e.g. medical certificate) to your tutor. In special circumstances, if your tutorial absence is going to be longer than two weeks (continuing) you may need to notify the Unit Convenor. Signed attendance sheets are not required for lectures but are required for tutorial attendance.

Warning: students must attend at least 10 out of 12 tutorials - failure to do this may affect your final grade.

Students are expected are expected to arrive at class on time, and not leave until class ends. Mobil phones must be turned OFF and not simply set to silent. Computers and other electronic devices must ONLY be used for class purposes and not for social media updates or internet entertainment. Students who disrupt the lecture/tutorial will be asked to leave.

The week-by-week tutorial questions are available on iLearn (under the assessment icon). Students are expected to bring the questions to their tutorial class, do the required reading and attempt to answer the questions BEFORE the class.

The tutorial questions and sessions are designed to initiate active student discourse of the subject material

Students who have any queries or problems with the course must discuss this with their tutor

You need a minimum of 50% to pass the course, as well as attend tutorials and attempt each assessment task. Students are not required to gain a pass mark in the examination to pass the subject.

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND MATERIALS

Required:

Stewart Andrew, Employment Law (The Federation Press, 6th ed, 2018)

The text book is available from the Coop bookshop. Students are required to have their own copy of this text and bring it to tutorials. There are some older copies available in the library (on the shelves and in closed reserve: NB page numbers will be different and most recent principles of law will not be included in those). While lecture materials on iLearn are important and available to students - it is stressed that these materials alone cannot replace the text book.

Highly Recommended:

CCH, Australian Master Human Resources Guide (CCH, 10th ed, 2013)

Stone, Katherine, and Arthurs, Harry, (eds) Rethinking Workplace Regulation: Beyond the Standard Contract of Employment (Russel Sage Publ. 2013)

Creighton B, Andrew Stewart, Labour Law (The Federation Press, 5th ed, 2010)

Owens R, Jill Murray, The Law of Work (Oxford University Press, 2nd ed, 2011)

Sappideen, C., Paul O'Grady, J. Riley, Geoff Warburton and Kate Eastman, Macken's Law of Employment (Lawbook Company, Sydney, 7th ed, 2011)

Freedland, Mark and Kontouris, Nicola, The Legal Construction of Personal Work Relations (Oxford University Press, 2012)

Conaghan, Joanne, Fischl, R, and Klare, K. (eds) Labour Law in an Era of Globalisation: Transformative Practices and Possibilities. (Oxford University Press, 2002)

Davidov, Guy and Langille, Brian (eds) Boundaries and Frontiers of Labour Law: Goals and Means in the Regulation of Work (Hart Publishing, Oregon, 2006) 

Journals:

Apart from text books and lecture slides, students will find it valuable to access and read relevant articles in journals. There are a number of journals that deal with this subject area. It is suggested that you research the University library system in order to locate and access relevant journal articles. Key journals include the Australian Journal of Labour Law, Industrial Law Journal (UK) and the Journal of Industrial Relations. 

Students are also encouraged to read a good daily newspaper such as the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and the Australian Financial Review in order to keep up to date with changes in this area.

Commonwealth legislation (available on www.comlaw.gov.au)

Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

Fair Work Regulations 2009 (Cth) 

Australian Human Rights Act 986 (Cth)

Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)

Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)

Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (Cth)

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)

Independent Contractors Act 2006 (Cth)

NSW Legislation  (see online: www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/)

Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW)

Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW)

Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)

Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (NSW)

Useful Websites:

Fair Work Ombudsman:  www.fairwork.gov.au

Fair Work Australia: www.fwa.gov.au

Australian Human Rights Commission: www.humanrights.gov.au

Safe Work Australia: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

International Labour Organization: www.ilo.org

Resources:

Students in this subject will require access to a computer in order to access iLearn and complete/submit their essay

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

Students are required to use information technology in this unit.

Students will need to use:

• Library databases to source materials for the research of essay, which is accessed electronically for conducting research for assignments;
• Electronic (internet) access to iLearn to download unit learning resources and upload assignments or other materials required for class activities and assignments or other materials required for class activities and assignments
• Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for presentations and reports  (where applicable)
• Unit Web Page: Course material is available on the learning management system (iLearn). The web page for this unit can be found at - http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/
• It is the responsibility of individual students to keep informed about subject changes via iLearn. Consequently students are reminded that they MUST access iLearn on a regular bases (at least once a week) in order to keep updated with any development, announcements, messages or changes made by the Unit Convenor/Lecturer/Tutors to the unit.

(This unit schedule may be subject to modification. Any content changes will be noted on iLearn)

TUTORIAL ATTENDANCE, QUESTIONS AND EXPECTATION:

Tutorials start in week 2, students must attend the tutorial that they are assigned by the timetable. Any changes must be formally negotiated and processed with the Department/Faculty. This policy is based on room size, student numbers, equity issues, and Occupational Health and Safety legal requirements.

The tutorial questions are available on iLearn and it is expected that students will read and prepare their answers to the problem questions BEFORE the tutorial

Please note: The tutorial session is an interactive communication process and must not be seen as providing a second catch-up lecture on the topic area. It is the responsibility of students to adequately prepare for tutorial sessions.

The legal information and its application to human resources practice has been updated since 2018. This subject should be seen as a 'work-in-progress' because of the ongoing rapid political, social, economic and global changes experienced in the employment/human resource area.Extra material will be made available on iLearn that deal with recent developments and case law that comes from the Fair Work Commission (FWC).

This unit uses research by Louise Thornthwaite:

Thornthwaite, L. (2018) Social Media and Dismissal: Developing a Reasonable Expectation of Privacy, Journal of Industrial Relations, 60 (1): 119-136. 

Thornthwaite, L. (2016) Social Media: an emerging privacy, Precedent: Australian Lawyers Alliance Journal, 135 (July/August): 8-13.

Thornthwaite, L. (2016) ‘Chilling Times: Social Media Policies, Labour Law and Employment Relations’, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources 54 (3), 332-51.

Holley, S., Thornthwaite, L., Markey. R., and O’Neill, S., (2015) ‘NSW Workers’ Compensation Reform: A Parody of Evidence-Based Policy Making’ Australian Journal of Public Administration, 74 (2): 151-161. 

Thornthwaite, L., (2013) 'Social Media, Unfair Dismissal and the Regulation of Employees' Conduct Outside Work', Australian Journal of Labour Law, 26 (2) 164-184. 

This unit gives you practice in applying research findings in your assignments.

This unit gives you opportunities to conduct your own research.