CQUniversity Unit Profile

In Progress

Please note that this Unit Profile is still in progress. The content below is subject to change.
LAWS12071 Australian Employment Law
Australian Employment Law
All details in this unit profile for LAWS12071 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

The Australian employment legal relationship is complex and varied. This unit is structured under three themes and modules. They are (1) entering the employment relationship, (2) regulating the employment relationship, and (3) ending the employment relationship. The main focus of the unit is the federal Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (the FWA) and the common law contract of employment. This FWA dominates Australian employment law and is increasingly encroaching upon other areas such as sexual harassment and discrimination, which were traditionally the domain of other statutes. Understanding the FWA is crucial to practising in this area in Australia. Students from international jurisdictions may see some similarities if they come from Common Law countries. However, by and large, Australia has a unique system that is not replicated elsewhere in the world.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 2
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisite: 24 credit points of law units including LAWS11057.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2026

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student surveys

Feedback

100% of surveyed students agreed this unit provided clear unit requirements, useful knowledge/skills, learning assessments, and was directly relevant to their degree.

Recommendation

Continue to apply the multi-faceted teaching and learning model.

Feedback from Student surveys

Feedback

Some students would like a more recent prescribed textbook and guidance on workplace investigations, employment ADR, and settlement agreements.

Recommendation

A newer prescribed textbook should be selected, and additional materials and assessments concerning workplace investigations, employment ADR, and settlement agreements should be provided.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Interpret and apply Australian employment law principles to fact scenarios to develop professional, problem-solving, legal reasoning, written and oral skills
  2. Critically examine themes and trends in Australian employment law
  3. Demonstrate cross-cultural competency skills.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Practical Assessment - 40%
2 - Practical Assessment - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Information for Textbooks and Resources has not been released yet.

This information will be available on Monday 16 February 2026
Academic Integrity Statement

Information for Academic Integrity Statement has not been released yet.

This unit profile has not yet been finalised.