Employer and business rights at work

Whether you run a large or small business, or are a company or sole trader, it’s important that you understand your rights and responsibilities.

Starting and running a business

Find information on starting a business, including:

• what to do before you start
• your start-up options
• how to establish your business
• business licensing information
• business planning information
• your legal obligations.

Find information on running a business, including:

• money—how to make and manage it
• sales
• marketing and promotion
• customer service
• procedures for tendering
• risk management
• disaster resilience and recovery
• environmental considerations
• business relationships.

Taking on staff

Find information on taking on new staff, including:

• how to find the right people
• procedures for recruiting and interviewing
• apprentices and trainees
• staff from overseas
• codes of conduct
• staff induction.

Find tools and resources to get up and running as an employer and hire new staff.

Employee rights, awards and entitlements

Find information on employee rights awards and entitlements including:

• employee entitlements and awards
• your obligations as an employer
• how to pay your staff—pay rates, paid leave, awards, tax obligations and superannuation
• anti-discrimination and equal opportunity
• workers' compensation
• industrial relations
• personal safety in the workplace.

Managing your employees

Find information to help manage your employees and implement good workplace practices.

This covers employment matters such as:

• hours of work
• leave
• parental leave
• flexible workplaces.

You should also be aware of the different management styles.

Ending employment

Find information about ending a person’s employment, including:

• staff dismissal
• staff redundancy
• unfair dismissal.

Resolving issues

Sometimes there are disputes in the workplace. It’s important to discuss any problems with the employee involved to understand what's caused it.

Find information to help you resolve (and avoid) workplace disputes, including:

• the dispute resolution process
• workplace conflict resources
• conflict management in the workplace
• conflict resolution skills
• the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Record keeping

As an employer, you must keep a written time and wages record for your employees for 7 years.  You must also give all employees a pay slip within 1 day of paying their wages.

All employee records are private and confidential. Generally, no one can access them other than the employee, the employer and payroll staff.

Read about what happens if you don't keep the correct records and get more information on employee privacy.

Payslips

Read more information about pay slips, including:

• the information that should be on the pay slip
• leave balances
• deductions
• electronic pay slips.

Time and wages records

Read more about the written records you’re required to keep, including:

• who and when
• type of employment
• hours and rates of pay.

Further information

• Read more about Workers compensation at WorkCover Queensland and the Workers' Compensation Regulatory Authority (Q-COMP)
• Read more about the Fair Work Ombudsman
• Read more about employer and business rights at the Queensland Government Business and Industry portal
• Find a list of useful contacts to help you run your business and meet your responsibilities as an employer.