Individual/Collective Employment Agreements and Contractor Agreements

On accepting employment at any workplace, employees generally have the option of becoming party to an individual employment agreement or becoming a union member and accordingly party to a collective agreement, if one is available. The terms of your employment will depend on which type of agreement you decide to become employed under.

It is important to fully comprehend the terms of your employment agreement as it will determine how your day to day work operates and confirm the obligations both you and your employer are undertaking. There are minimum statutory entitlements you must be given as an employee, and anything additional must be agreed to. It is important, for certainty or if you are unsure of what you are signing, to get independent legal advice. We can tell you about the benefits or drawbacks of signing up to any individual or collective agreement. We can also advise whether an agreement is legally and practically sound and whether you need to negotiate the terms with your employer before you accept it.

In addition, we are equipped to answer any questions you have about an agreement once you have signed it, for example how to vary the terms at a later stage, in particular if the day to day operation of your job has varied from what you originally agreed to.