LAW 6508 - Employment and Industrial Relations Practice

North Terrace Campus - Trimester 2 - 2019

This course introduces the practice of Employment and Industrial Relations law in South Australia and aims to provide an introduction to: - the fundamentals of employment law; - implied terms, National Employment Standards, Awards and Agreements; - the different jurisdictions in which employment claims may be litigated, including the Fair Work Commission, the Industrial Relations Commission of South Australia, the South Australian Industrial Relations Court, the Workers Compensation Tribunal, the Equal Opportunity Commission, the Australian Human Rights Commission and the State and federal civil courts. - common law and statutory remedies for recovery of employment entitlements; - remedies for termination of employment, including unfair dismissal claims and general protections disputes; - workers compensation claims including the processes for commencing a claim and disputing decisions; and - discrimination in employment including sexual harassment. The course is offered in partnership with South Australian practitioners and agencies. In particular, many lectures on the course are delivered by widely recognised experts in their field of employment and industrial relations law.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code LAW 6508
    Course Employment and Industrial Relations Practice
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Law School
    Term Trimester 2
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Intensive
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Restrictions Available to GDLP students only. Not available for Study Abroad & Exchange.
    Assessment Assessment in this course will include one or more of the following: completion of relevant forms, letters of advice, online quizzes, multiple choice questions, and a mock conciliation conference.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Desiree Holland

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1 Apply appropriate knowledge to employment and industrial relations case studies.
    2 Determine appropriate course of action to achieve desired objectives.
    3 Collaboratively and individually research, analyse and evaluate information from a wide variety of sources.
    4 Assess client requirements and propose coherent feasible solutions.
    5 Demonstrate ability to collaborate within a diverse group of people.
    6 Reflect on their abilities to effectively work within the Law.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    3
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    5
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    No textbooks are assigned for GDLP courses.

    Seminar resources and readings are available on MyUni ONLY. Students must bring electronic devices to seminars to access seminar materials.

    Due to an emphasis on current legal practice other materials may be added after the course outline has been posted. Students are required to check MyUni daily to keep up to date.

    Recommended Resources
    Most course resources are provided to students ONLINE via MyUni. Relevant law can be accessed online via:

    http://www.comlaw.gov.au/
    http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/index.aspx
    http://www.austlii.edu.au/

    Due to the emphasis on current legal practice, other materials may be added after the course outline has been posted. Students are required to check MyUni daily to keep up to date.
    Online Learning
    The course is supported by the MyUni course website. The website contains the following resources:

    1. Course information – including seminar schedule and assessment outline.
    2. Course materials – such as lecture presentations, seminar materials, readings and resources.
    3. Assessment – items of assessment and online submission.
    4. Grade centre – where students’ results for assessments are entered.

    MyUni will also be used to post announcements. Students are expected to check MyUni daily to keep up to date.

    Students should check daily their University of Adelaide email.

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The course will be taught intensively. Compulsory face to face interactive, problem-solving seminars and practical exercises are supported by online lectures and readings.

    Students must come prepared for seminars and, where applicable, having listened to online lectures, undertaken prior reading and developed draft responses to seminar questions.

    A reminder that students must bring along electronic devices to the seminar so they can access the seminar materials electronically. A limited number of hard copy resources may be available.

    Attendance at seminars is necessary to ensure that students are part of the interactive and reflective learning environment (which enhances learning outcomes) and provides students with the ability to develop their collaborative and oral presentation skills. Students are expected to behave in an ethical and professional manner as would be expected in the workplace environment (as per the professional conduct rules and standards).

    Full details of seminars and activities are made available on the MyUni course website prior to the course commencing.

    Attendance at all seminars is strongly advised. Missing seminars will put you at a severe disadvantage in completing the requirements of the course. In most cases, assessment tasks are strongly linked to seminars activities with some assessment occurring during seminars.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Contact time

    This course will be taught intensively.

    Preparation time

    In addition to attending formal classes it is anticipated that students will do substantial independent work to prepare for classes and to complete the course assessments.

    The University expects full time students, in particular those enrolled over a 6 month rather than 12 month period, to devote in excess of 15 hours per week to their studies.

    Learning Activities Summary
    Learning activities will involve an intensive seminar series as well as online lectures and materials to be used in preparation for the seminars. 

    - Lectures are a teacher-driven learning activity; relaying of knowledge and information. 
    - Seminars are more interactive than lectures. Students are expected to prepare answers to seminar questions to facilitate useful in-class discussions between peers. As such, seminars are largely student driven. Seminar leaders are learning facilitators. 

    Assessment tasks are also learning activities. 

    A detailed seminar schedule will be posted to MyUni prior to the course commencing.


    This course will cover the following topics:
      
    - Assessing the merits of the dispute and identify  the dispute resolution alternatives

    - Advising clients on procedures
          
    - Commencing negotiations
          
    - Initiating and responding to proceedings
          
    - Representing the client
           
    - Taking action to implement the outcomes


    Specific Course Requirements
    The course is based on the rules of the Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council (LPEAC) 2018 which specifies the expected competency standards for entry level lawyers at the point of admission.
    In this course, the following elements of the National Competency Standards for Entry Level Lawyers are embedded:
    Ethics and professional responsibility
    Lawyers skills
    Problem solving
    Work management and business skills

    Students are required to demonstrate, where appropriate, the following:
    Punctuality
    Workload management and ability to adhere to deadlines
    Active engagement in practical activities
    Respectful behaviour towards others
    A high level of confidentiality at all times
    Satisfactory completion of prescribed exercises

    For further information please contact LSSA Program Manager.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessments will be made available to students, prior to the nominated deadline. Assessment deadlines will be posted on MyUni prior to the course commencing.

    All assessments are competency based (non-graded pass). Competence must be demonstrated in ALL assessment tasks and activities. MyUni requires a numerical value to display that competency has been demonstrated. Please note:

    1 – Competency has been achieved (non-graded pass)
    0 = Competency has not yet been achieved (re-submission required).

    Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome
    Task 1
    Short answer questions-discrimination and workers compensation claims
    Individual Week 1 n/a 1-6
    Task 2
    Short answer questions-The employment relationship
    Individual Week 2 n/a 1-6
    Task 3
    Letter of advice
    Individual Week 1 after last class n/a 1-6
    Task 4
    Reflection report
    Individual Week 2 after last class n/a 1-6

    In this course, the following elements of the National Competency Standards for Entry Level Lawyers are embedded:
    • Ethics and professional responsibility
    • Lawyers skills
    • Problem solving
    • Work management and business skills

    Students are required to demonstrate, where appropriate, the following:
    • Punctuality
    • Workload management and ability to adhere to deadlines
    • Active engagement in practical activities
    • Respectful behaviour towards others
    • A high level of confidentiality at all times
    • Satisfactory completion of prescribed exercise

    *Assesment deadlines will be provided prior to the course commencing.
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Unless otherwise stated, there will no prescribed work limit for assessments. This is because the purpose of the GDLP program is to facilitate your transition from undergraduate academic law studies to the legal professional employment environment through the demonstration and practice of professionally-based skills and competencies. In a legal practice it is highly unlikely you will be set a certain number of words or pages for the tasks you are asked to complete.

    However, in the majority of assessments guidelines will be provided.

    The quality of English expression is considered to be an integral part of the assessment process.
    Assessment competence will take into consideration : expression, structure, correct grammar, typography, etc.

    Note: In most cases assessment tasks are linked to seminar activities. Attendance at all seminars is highly advisable.

    Assessments will be returned to students within 3 weeks from the due date, unless otherwise notified by the program officer (GDLP) through a course announcement.
    Assessment Detail
    Assessments will be made available to students, prior to the nominated deadline. Assessment deadlines will be posted on MyUni prior to the course commencing.

    Assessments guidelines will be provided for each assesssment task. Unless otherwise stated, there will be no prescribed word limit for assessments. This is because the purpose of the GDLP program is to facilitate your transition from undergraduate academic law studies to the legal professional employment environment through the demonstration and practice of professionally-based skills and competencies. 


    All assessments are competency based (non-graded pass). Competence must be demonstrated in all assessment tasks and activities.  MyUni requires a numerical value to display that competency has been demonstrated. Please note:

    1 – Competency has been achieved (non-graded pass)
    0 = Competency has not yet been achieved.

    Task 1
    16 Short answer questions regarding discrimination and workers compensation
    claims

    Task 2
    4 Short answer questions regarding the employment relationship

    Task 3
    Letter of advice to a client regarding either the commencement of an unfair
    dismissal application or general protections application.

    Task 4
    A reflection report regarding the conciliation conference.





    Submission
    Students must retain a copy of all assignments submitted.

    All assignments in this course are to be submitted electronically through Turnitin. Submissions to Turnitin are to be in Microsoft Word format (NOT in pdf)’.

    Students work will be marked in accordance with the marking rubric.

    Resubmission
    Students are required to demonstrate competency in all elements of the national competency standards and failure to do so will result in the relevant assessment being marked as non-competent. If the assessment is deemed non-competent students may be offered to revise and resubmit the assessment.

    In 2019 a supplementary teaching day will be offered. Students who will be allowed to resubmit may attend this day, though it is not compulsory to do so. Resubmission of the assessment will be allowed after this additional teaching day. If a student is unable to demonstrate competency after this resubmission then they will need undertake the course again and pay additional fees. Please note that all final fails are double marked before the results are released to students.

    Extensions

    Requests for extensions must be made electronically via GDLP Enquiries GDLPEnquiries@lawsocietysa.asn.au Students MUST apply for an extension prior to the deadline. Extensions will be granted only for unexpected illness, hardship or on compassionate
    grounds in accordance with University Policy. Work commitments, travel, holidays or sporting engagements are not unexpected circumstances.

    Late Submission

    Assignments submitted late will not be marked.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    GS8 (Coursework Grade Scheme)
    Grade Description
    CN Continuing
    FNS Fail No Submission
    NFE No Formal Examination
    F Fail
    NGP Non Graded Pass
    P Pass
    C Credit
    D Distinction
    HD High Distinction
    RP Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    In this course all assessment and course results are competency based (non-graded pass) as per the table below.Competence must be demonstrated in all assessment tasks and activities.


    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    Grade
    Grade reflects following criteria for allocation of grade
    Reported on Official Transcript

    Fail No Submission FNS
    No work submitted for assessment

    Competency not demonstrated F
    Non-Graded Pass
    Competency demonstrated NGP
    Result Pending An interim result RP
    Continuing CN
    No Formal Examination NF

    Approval of Results by Board of Examiners

    Students are reminded that all assessment results are subject to approval (and possible  moderation/change) by the Law School’s Board of Examiners. Assessment  results at the University are not scaled. Under the Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy, students are assessed ‘by reference to their performance against pre-determined criteria and standards … and not by ranking against the performance of the student cohort in the course’. However, under that same policy, the Board of Examiners (as the relevant Assessment Review Committee for courses at Adelaide Law School) is  required to ‘ensure comparability of standards and consistency’ in assessment. On occasions, the Board of Examiners will form the view that some moderation is required to ensure the comparability of standards and consistency across courses and years, and accordingly provide fairness to all law students. All assessment results are therefore subject to approval (and possible change) until confirmed by the Board of Examiners and posted on Acess Adelaide at the end of each semester.

    Finality of Assessment Grades

    Students are advised that Course Coordinators will not enter into negotiations of any kind with any student regarding changes to their grades. It is irrelevant, in any given circumstance, that only a minimal number of additional marks are required to inflate a student’s grade for any individual assessment item or course as a whole. Pursuant to the University’s Assessment for Coursework
    Programs Policyand the Adelaide Law School Assessment Policies and Procedures, grades may only be varied through the  appropriate channels for academic review (such as an official re-mark).

     
    Moderation

    In accordance with the University’s Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy, course coordinators ‘ensure that appropriate marking guidelines and cross-marking moderation processes across markers are in place’ in each course. Procedures adopted by Adelaide Law School to ensure consistency of marking in courses with multiple markers include:

     
    *assurance of the qualifications of markers, and their knowledge of the content covered in each course;
    *detailed marking guidelines and assessment rubrics to assist in the marking of items of assessment;
    *sharing of example marked assessments at various grade bands across markers;
    *reviewing of selected marked assessments from each marker by the course coordinator;
    *comparison of the marks and their distribution across markers;
    *automatic double-marking of all interim assessment receiving a fail grade, and of final assessments where a student’s overall result is a fail grade;
    *the availability of re-marking of assessments in accordance with Adelaide Law School’s Assessment Policies and Procedures.


    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
    The University Writing Centre provides academic learning and language development services and resources for local, international, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students enrolled at the University of Adelaide.

    The centre offers practical advice and strategies for students to master reading, writing, note-taking, time management, oral presentation skills, referencing techniques and exam preparation for success at university through seminars, workshops and individual consultations.

    Lex Salus Program
    Lex Salus (law and wellbeing) is an initiative of the Adelaide Law School aimed at destigmatising mental health issues; promoting physical, mental and emotional wellness; building a strong community of staff and students; and celebrating diversity within the school. It also seeks to promote wellness within the legal profession, through the involvement of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia, the Honourable Chris Kourakis, as the official Patron of the program.

    Students can participate in the Lex Salus program by attending barbecue lunches, pancake breakfasts, knitting and crochet circles, seminars, guest speakers, conferences and other activities. Our Facebook page, website and regular all-student emails promote upcoming events, and have tips and information on wellness.

    Our Lex Salus YouTube channel also includes videos on topics like managing stress, and interviews with LGBTQ lawyers and their supporters which celebrate diversity and individuality. Students who commit to 10 hours of volunteering with Lex Salus in one year can have their service recognised on their academic transcript and through a thank you morning tea with the Chief Justice and law school staff.

    Student Life Counselling Support
    The University’s Student Life Counselling Support service provides free and confidential service to all enrolled students. We encourage you to contact the Student Life Counselling Support service on 8313 5663 to make an appointment to deal with any issues that may be affecting your study and life.
  • Policies & Guidelines

    This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

    Academic Honesty
    Academic dishonesty is a serious act of academic misconduct. All students must be familiar with the University’s Academic Honesty Policy.

    Academic dishonesty is a serious matter and is treated as such by the Law School and the University. Academic dishonesty (which goes beyond plagiarism) can be a ground for a refusal by the Supreme Court of South Australia to admit a person to practice as a legal practitioner in South Australia.

    Academic honesty is an essential aspect of ethical and honest behaviour, which is central to the practice of the law and an understanding of what it is to be a lawyer.
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.