Before you hire a student

Any arrangement between an employer and employee is bound by some sort of award, agreement or contract. Students may not be familiar with such documenation and the terms used in those documents.

Since March 2008, the individual contracts known as Australian Workplace Agreements have been abolished. Many people will be employed on an Award or other collective agreements made betwen unions and employers. They are relevant to the workers in the industry whether they are in the union or not. In this case, students will not be signing any contracts.

They may, however, be asked to sign to say they accept the job, or to show that they have received information or materials, or to say they have commenced work.

There is another form of contract called an Individual Transitional Employment Agreement (ITEA) replacing AWAs. If asked to sign an ITEA, workers must make sure to read all the information about it first at the Workplace Authority site.                    

As with any contract, if aged under 18, a parent or guardian must sign. ITEAs are designed to remain in place until December 2009, and will be replaced when the government's new workplace relations arrangements are legislated for and put in place.

As with any employee, an employer is obliged to provide an outline of all the conditions of employment, and to ensure full access to Awards and Enterprise Agreements, in an area of the workplace accessible to all employees.

For any employee, an employer is obliged to provide an outline of all the conditions of employment, and ensure full access to Awards and Enterprise Agreements is possible for every employee, in an area of the workplace accessible to all employees.

Research among students has shown that of the 6 in 10 students who signed a document in the workplace, few understood the meaning behind it. Take the time to explain anything a student is expected to sign.