Employment Law

Workplace issues can arise suddenly and leave you feeling uncertain about your rights, your job security, and your next steps. Whether you’re dealing with a dismissal, a change to your role, discrimination, or a dispute about your entitlements, clear legal advice can make all the difference.

At Leonard Lawyers, we help people across Australia understand their rights, navigate difficult workplace situations, and achieve fair outcomes with confidence.

How We Help

We advise and represent employees in all areas of employment law, including:

Dismissal & Termination

  • Unfair dismissal

  • General protections (adverse action)

  • Redundancy and restructures

  • Forced resignation / constructive dismissal

  • Reinstatement applications

Workplace Conduct & Safety

  • Bullying and harassment

  • Sexual harassment

  • Discrimination

  • Workplace investigations

  • Responding to allegations or show‑cause notices

Pay, Contracts & Entitlements

  • Underpayment of wages and entitlements

  • Modern Award and Enterprise Agreement interpretation

  • Breach of contract

  • Employee vs contractor disputes

  • Sham contracting

  • Restraint of trade and post‑employment obligations

  • Confidentiality, privacy and surveillance issues

Workplace Change & Ill Health

  • Performance management

  • Managing ill health and return‑to‑work processes

  • Flexible work requests

  • Pregnancy, parental leave and return‑to‑work rights

Negotiation & Resolution

  • Settlement negotiations

  • Deeds of release

  • Attending meetings as a support person

  • Strategic advice on resolving workplace conflict

Why Early Advice Matters

Employment disputes often move quickly. Deadlines apply to many claims — including the 21‑day limit for unfair dismissal and general protections matters involving dismissal.

Getting advice early can help you:

  • understand your options before decisions are made

  • avoid procedural mistakes

  • respond strategically to employer communications

  • preserve your eligibility for claims

  • negotiate from a position of strength

Many issues can be resolved more effectively when you seek guidance at the first sign of trouble.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Trust your instincts. If your role changes, you’re being treated differently, or you’ve received unexpected performance concerns, it’s worth getting advice early. Many issues can be resolved before they escalate.

  • A dismissal may be unlawful if it was harsh, unjust or unreasonable, or if it occurred because you exercised a workplace right (for example, making a complaint, taking leave, or requesting flexibility). We can assess this quickly once we understand the circumstances.

  • Unfair dismissal focuses on whethere the dismissal was carried out fairly, while general protections looks at why the employer acted, and whether the employee was dismissed or treated adversely because they exercised a workplace right or had a protected attribute.

  • Yes, but only if the redundancy was not genuine. A redundancy may be challengeable if your role still exists, your duties were given to someone else, consultation didn’t occur (if covered by an award or enterprise agreement), or the decision was influenced by a prohibited reason.

  • You may still have rights. Adverse action, discrimination, bullying, harassment, and unreasonable performance management can all give rise to claims even if you remain employed.

  • Yes. Most dismissal‑based claims must be lodged within 21 days of the dismissal taking effect. Other claims have longer timeframes, but early advice is always best.

  • Casual employees have rights too. Depending on your pattern of work, you may be eligible for unfair dismissal, general protections, underpayment claims, or conversion to permanent employment.

  • Never sign a deed without legal advice. Once signed, you may lose the ability to bring claims or recover entitlements. We regularly negotiate deeds to ensure they are fair and protect your interests.

  • Yes. We assist employees with show‑cause letters, investigation interviews, disciplinary processes, and performance management. Early guidance can significantly influence the outcome.

  • We offer transparent pricing for matters. Before any work begins, we explain the likely costs and the strategy so you can make an informed decision.