Starting a new job
Details about your new job
About contracts of employment
Details about your new job
When you're offered a job, you need to know more than what you'll do and what is expected of you. You need to know about workplace health and safety, pay rates and work conditions too.
You should find out the following:
- the award or agreement, if applicable, under which you are working
- where to find a copy of the award or agreement on display
- your employment status
- your hours of work
- meal breaks
- record keeping requirements
- duration of the probation period
- the period of notice required to be given by the employer and employee to terminate the employment
- your pay rates
- your leave entitlements and application processes
- who to talk to for information on employment questions
- who to notify, when and in what circumstances you are to be absent from work
- your rights and obligations under the employment contract, as well as those of your employer
- where to go for help in determining pay and conditions for work.
If you are under 16 years and have not yet completed compulsory schooling (i.e. completion of year 10), child employment laws limit your hours of work and provide other protections.
About contracts of employment
When you are hired, ask your employer to put your conditions of employment in writing. The details you’ll want include are:
- the name of your employer (e.g. a person, a partnership or firm using a business name, a family trust, a non-constitutional corporation)
- the name of the award or agreement which covers the job you do
- your rate of pay
- your hours of work
- your days of work
- whether the job is full-time, part-time or casual
- the wages and allowances payable to you
- your job title (classification)
- whether there is a special probationary period.
Without these details in writing, there is potential for disputes concerning the job you were hired to do.
Most Queenslanders work under an award or agreement but many also do contract work. An unfair contract is one where QIRC decides that you are being paid less than is defined under a State or Federal award or agreement for the same work. It may also avoid award provisions. If you are covered by the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (PDF, 1.9 MB) you are protected from unfair contracts.
Find out more about awards, workplace agreements and unfair contracts
Last updated 4 August 2009
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