76015 Labour Law

Description

Labour law is an important component of the legal regulation of business. In this subject students examine the key aspects of Australian labour law currently pertaining to workplace rights, entitlements, liabilities and obligations of employers and workers pursuant to the legislation and case law regulating work, especially the law determining the pay and conditions of workers. Given the extensive coverage of Commonwealth workplace relations legislation, there is a focus on analysis of that Commonwealth legislation as amended.

Labour law is a rapidly changing field. There have been frequent system-wide changes to the legislative framework over the last few decades. In addition to considering current law, this subject considers the development of legislation and case law regulating work. Students examine the reasons for and against reforms to labour law, the position and influence of key stakeholders involved in law reform processes and changes that are likely to be made to labour law in the future and on what basis those changes are made.

In this subject students learn the skills of applying current labour law to provide advice in a form appropriate for a client. Students also undertake critical analysis and evaluation of debates within labour law which underlie legal reforms. Students are given the opportunity to develop analytical and evaluative skills by making oral and written submissions about proposals to reform labour law that mirror the work undertaken by professionals involved in making submissions to governmental inquiries. Given that most students go on to be involved in a paid work relationship regulated by the law studied in this subject, labour law forms an important part of the knowledge required for professional life.