Macrossans Lawyers Brisbane law firm


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home arrow Rachel Drew
Rachel Drew

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BA/LLB (Hons), Queensland University of Technology 1998
Admitted to Supreme Court of Queensland January 2001
Admitted to High Court of Australia February 2002

Ph: 61 7 3292 9717
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Areas of practice:

Employment advice and representation
Industrial relations
Equal employment opportunity and discrimination
Workers' compensation insurance, worker health and rehabilitation
Occupational health and safety compliance
Transmission of businesses
Restraint of Trade, Intellectual Property and Confidentiality
Superannuation entitlements

Experience

Rachel has a wide client base, from large corporate employers in the manufacturing and engineering industry, to senior executive employees and not-for profit organisations. 

Rachel provides advice on employment law and industrial relations, including employee entitlements and award coverage, with particular specialty in the areas of workers' health legislation, discrimination, managing discipline and dismissal of employees, assessing occupational health and safety compliance and transmission of businesses.  

Workers compensation

  • Managing over 100 WorkCover claims each year, representing both workers and employers in the Industrial Magistrates Courts and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission at the review and appeal level
  • Advising employers on WorkCover claims including obtaining factual evidence, advising on the correct level of compensation payable and rehabilitation obligations
  • Acting for the Queensland Teachers Union and the Queensland Independent Education Union, representing many members in workers compensation claims and before the Medical Assessment Tribunals of WorkCover Queensland.

Occupational health and safety

  • Reviewing the OHS policies for the Queensland Independent Education Union including auditing compliance against relevant legislation, and drafting internal policies and procedures
  • Advising an international timber company to respond to an incident involving a forklift accident, which resulted in a grievous bodily harm injury, avoiding any prosecution to date.

Workplace relations

  • Providing advice to businesses regarding transition to Workplace Relations Act and advice about new employee entitlements and changed employer obligations
  • Prosecuting and defending unlawful dismissal claims in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and Queensland Industrial Relations Commission
  • Successfully defending a childcare operator in the Federal Magistrates Court against a claim for unlawful dismissal by a former employee

Equal employment and opportunity

  • Representing clients in the Anti-Discrimination Commission and Tribunal and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Professional memberships and appointments

Certified Professional, Australian Human Resources Institute
Queensland Law Society

Publications and presentations:

  • "Anaphylactic shock - when schools are given responsibility what does it mean legally for school staff?", Independent Education Journal, November 2007
  • "Pinpointing the legal avenues available in managing excessive sickness and absenteeism", paper presented at 7th Annual Employment Law Intensive, Tonkin Corporation, Brisbane, 29 November 2007
  • "Independent Contractor Arrangements", Australian Financial Review, Enterprise, Damien Lynch (Ed), October 2007
  • "Acting out: An impairment discrimination complaint workshopped", presentation at Australian New Zealand Education Law Association Annual Conference, Hervey Bay, 27 September 2007
  • "EEO, Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying", presented at the ALB IR and Employment Law Masterclass, July 2007.
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  • "What sort of items should I be auditing in my end of financial year workforce audit?" Australian Financial Review, Enterprise, Damien Lynch (Ed), April 2007
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  • "EEO Update - Achieving Equality In The Workplace", paper presented at IES Conference,  March 2006
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  • "Which Act Should I Use? - Overview of the Relevant Employment Legislation and Cases", paper presented at LexisNexis Industrial Relations and Employment Law Young Lawyers Day, April 2006
  • "Scrutinising your obligations to employees returning to work from parental leave through latest court decisions", paper presented at Law & Finance Employment Law Intensive, 21 June 2006
  • "Sex, Lies and Videotape: an Anti-Discrimination Complaint", AHRI Special Interest Group presentation, July 2006
  • "Workplace Health and Safety - Student Violence Against Teachers", Queensland Teachers' Union Journal, November 2006