HR BREAKFAST CLUB MONTHLY FORUM

JOIN US FOR OUR MARCH HR BREAKFAST CLUB

Getting the Employment Contract Right: The Nuts and Bolts

Date | 8:00am Friday 20 March 2026

Venue | In person – BAL Lawyers, Canberra House, Level 9/40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra 

Presenter | Ash Borg, Special Counsel at BAL Lawyers

Cost | Complimentary

Employment relationships often come under scrutiny only when something has gone wrong — misconduct allegations, investigations or termination disputes. But many of those issues can be traced back to how the relationship was structured at the outset.

In this practical breakfast session, we step back from the end of the employment lifecycle and focus on the beginning: the employment contract. The session will explore the core building blocks of employment arrangements and the legal framework within which they operate.

Topics will include the interaction between employment contracts, modern awards and enterprise agreements; the operation of the National Employment Standards; fixed-term contracting; and the limits of “offsetting” remuneration against minimum statutory entitlements. We will also examine the distinction between genuine independent contracting and employment, the legal status of workplace policies, post-employment restraints, and the role of implied terms — including obligations relating to work health and safety.

Designed for HR practitioners, this session aims to prompt practical thinking about how to structure employment relationships from the outset to reduce risk and avoid common pitfalls later on.

If you have a workplace question that you would like to talk through with us, please come along to the HR Breakfast Club event on 20 March 2026, or contact the BAL Employment Law and Investigations Team for more information.

Alternatively you can email events@ballawyers.com.au

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