Employment Relations

The Employment Relations Department (“ERD”) of the QHA is a dedicated industrial relations and human resources team.  Specialists in agreement making and employer advocacy in the hospitality industry, the ERD sets a high standard for expertise and professionalism in the rapidly evolving and complex employment relations arena.

As a member of the QHA, you benefit from your ability to contact the ERD with queries regarding employment terms and conditions, compliance with awards, discipline and termination of staff, and similar matters. In addition to your day to day HR issues, the ERD can assist in more complex matters involving representation or detailed advice on a very competitive fee for service basis. 

ERD services include, but are not limited to the following …

Free to Members
Telephone and email advice in relation to employment relations queries:

• Provision of relevant award wage rate sheets
• Interpretations of award terms and conditions
• Advice on employer obligations in the employment arena
• The Queensland and Federal systems of industrial relations 
• Information regarding the formal appointment of new staff
• Unfair dismissals and counselling processes for terminating employment in a fair manner
• Recruitment and selection techniques 
• Superannuation and Workers' Compensation
• Long service leave calculations
• Policy and Procedures (business, operational and legal) for your workplace.

The ERD also contributes to QHA’s fortnightly publication, QHA Update, as well as the Association’s monthly publication, QHA Review.

Fee for Service
The following professional services are available on a fee for service basis:

• Representation before the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and Fair Work Australia 
• Representation before the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission
• Drafting, negotiating and lodging Enterprise Agreements
• Drafting Individual Flexibility Agreements (as provided for in modern awards)
• The provision of industry specific in-house training on Discrimination and Harassment, Termination of Employment, and Award Awareness, to list a few modules
• Development of specialist manuals and publications
• Negotiations with unions or government inspectors
• Wages Assessments - usually arising from an underpayment of wages claim
• Industrial Relations Compliance Consultancy.

The ERD also offers a number of publications for purchase with members receiving these items at a discounted rate.  More information about the publications offered by the ERD can be obtained by following the online links to the Products page or by contacting the QHA.

OTHER MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS/SERVICES

1. WAGE RATES
QHA maintains wages sheets for the major Awards and NAPSAs that apply to the hospitality industry.

Wages sheets are available from the Wages page (member log-in necessary), or by contacting the QHA via email er@qha.org.au. Please remember when emailing to include details of the member so membership status can be confirmed. 

Wage rate pages are free.

2. AWARD COPIES
QHA members can purchase an up to date copy of the relevant Award/s (either State of Federal) applying to staff. QHA members receive a free copy of relevant awards on joining the Association; however, changes can occur from time to time, therefore there is a need to update copies on a regular basis through purchasing a new copy.

QHA makes it easier for hospitality employers to comply with workplace requirements, whether State or Federal. Prices are listed below and apply from 1 January 2009:

• Hard Copy Awards - $22.00 per copy (member price)
• Electronic Awards Copy - $22.00 for up to 3 of the available awards (member price)                                  

These items are available for purchase from the QHA Shop Online

3. LONG SERVICE LEAVE CALCULATIONS
QHA members can access, via the member area of this website, our long service leave calculator to determine staff accruals.

ERD staff can also discuss your individual questions with you.

4. LETTER OF APPOINTMENT TEMPLATES
Pro-forma letters of appointment for permanent and casual staff are available at a nominal cost. The pro-formas are designed for Award covered employees and are available for the Queensland system of industrial relations, as well as the Federal workplace relations system.

Available for only $88.00 per Kit (either State or Federal), the templates can take the hassle out of drafting contracts by ensuring you confirm the terms and conditions that apply to an employee’s employment.

These items are available for purchase from the QHA Shop Online (in the near future)

5. HR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Each quarter, ERD staff hold HR Advisory Committee meetings for HR managers to update them on HR and ER developments, such as the current Award Modernisation process.

Meetings are held in Brisbane, Cairns, and the Gold Coast. Refer to the relevant page within the ERD section on this website for more information.

6. OTHER SERVICES
To find out more about our services and our staff, scroll through the ERD pages on this website. Alternatively, contact the team HERE.