Many employers mistakenly believe that just because an employee signs a written employment contract, they don’t need to worry about meeting award conditions. Right? Wrong!
It’s essential to always remember that awards (or, in some agencies, an enterprise agreement) form part of the minimum safety net of employment conditions for most employees in our industry.
For example, if you have an employee with an employment contract that provides for an entitlement below that prescribed in the award (or, if applicable, an enterprise agreement), the employee will still be entitled to the minimum award or enterprise agreement conditions regardless of the terms of the contract.
A contract cannot remove an employee’s minimum safety net entitlements. But it can, or course, provide for more beneficial entitlements, as the employee will be better off.
