Consulting Work

Fair Work Commission representation

We are experienced advocates in a range of Fair Work Commission matters that you might face as a business operator. You can trust us to represent you, and your interests, in the following types of claims: 

• Unfair Dismissals 
• General Protections 
• Stop Bullying applications 
• Stop Sexual Harassment applications 
• Disputes 

Other Tribunal representation

Business Chamber Queensland’s expert team can represent you in discrimination and sexual harassment claims before the: 

• Australian Human Rights Commission 
• Queensland Human Rights Commission 
• Queensland Industrial Relations Commission 
• Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal 

Workplace investigations

We offer a fair and independent workplace investigation service where an experienced member of the team will conduct a thorough investigation into a workplace incident.  

It is important to investigate incidents, whether they be an employee breach of policy, misconduct, or in response to a workplace bullying or sexual harassment complaint. Failure to do so can result with claims before external bodies, such as the Fair Work Commission, or the Australian Human Rights Commission. The same applies to a flawed investigation process. 

We take the emotion and the time out of workplace investigations, and can provide you, the business operator, with a professionally conducted investigation and outcomes report with recommendations. 

Fair Work Ombudsman assistance (underpayment claims)

Business Chamber Queensland’s expert team can represent your interests in the event of a fair Work Ombudsman Inspector contacting you about an employee underpayment complaint. 

Employment disputes and conflict resolution

Disputes occur regularly in workplaces, and they can be about: 

• Award coverage 
• Wage rates 
• Position classifications 
• Personality clashes (between employees, with management, or between managers) 

Business Chamber Queensland’s team can assist you with the resolution of disputes as your representative, or, as an advisor behind the scenes providing you with professional advice. 

As your representative, we you be provided with advice about the appropriate course of action to take in dealing with the dispute. We can also speak to your employee/s or their authorised representative/s and enter into negotiations and attend to any correspondence on your behalf. 

Alternatively, by providing advice and assistance to you behind the scenes, we can advise you about the appropriate course of action and draft your correspondence for you.  

Workers’ Compensation – claim defenses

Need help responding to a workers’ compensation claim?  

Business Chamber Queensland’s expert team can assist you with the information gathering, investigation and drafting of a reply to the Regulator. 

Undertaking a discipline / termination process on your behalf

Talking to an employee about underperformance can be difficult, let alone a conversation that may end with the termination of their employment. 

For a nominal fee, our team can assist you by attending a meeting with an employee and discussing the performance concerns, and what it means, on your behalf.

We can either speak for you, or assist behind the scenes by providing you with the information you need to follow a fair process when dealing with tricky or time-consuming performance concerns.

Return to work plans drafting

Injured workers are less likely to return to work after a long absence from the workplace.  

A return to work plan is a program developed to help an injured worker to return to the workplace, and return to their usual pre-injury duties in a safe and structured way. 

Business Chamber Queensland’s team can assist you to develop a return to workplace that sets out the steps that will be taken by your organisation in response to the injury, and to return the injured worked to return to work in a safe, health and supported manner. 

A return to work plan can also be used for an employee who has been absent due to a long term illness. 

Workplace Advisory Services team members are qualified return to work coordinators. 

Policy and procedure reviews

Workplace policies and procedures should be reviewed regularly.  

By engaging Business Chamber Queensland to review, refresh and update your policies and procedures, as well as add new policies to your workplace HR manual, you can feel confident and secure in knowing you have the basics in place for meeting your key workplace and statutory requirements. 

In addition, we can come to your workplace and deliver implementation training for your employees! 

Bespoke employment agreements

With employment contracts there is one simple rule for business – if it’s not written down, it can be disputed.  

Business Chamber Queensland’s Workplace Advisory team are available to draft bespoke employment contracts for your staffing needs, and that also meet your statutory and industrial obligations. 

This includes award covered through to executive level appointments.  

Recruitment process consulting

Recruiting is a time consuming and sometimes tricky process – particularly when ensuring you have your documentation in place.  

The team can assist you with the following activities with the recruitment of new team members for your business: 

• Reviewing existing, or drafting new position description/s 
• Drafting your job advertisement 
• Checking your job interview question 

Let us save you time and effort! 

Zombie Agreement – assessments and/or terminations

If you have a registered Agreement (often called a Collective Agreement or a Certified Agreement) that was made pre July 2009 in effect at your workplace, the team can assist you in deciding what your best course of action is.  

At present, pre July 2009 Agreements will automatically expire in December 2023 – whether you agree to it or not.  

The team can assist to assess the Agreement via a comprehensive audit and comparison, and look at options for terminating the Agreement on your terms, negotiating a new Agreement, or applying to the Fair Work Commission to extend it.