Office of the Employment Advocate
OEA
1997 – 1 July 2007
Renamed Workplace Authority in 2007.
Statutory office supporting the Employment Advocate, which approved and promoted Australian Workplace Agreements (individual statutory agreements), advised employers and employees on agreement making and investigated freedom of association complaints.
Names over time
- Office of the Employment Advocate1997–2007
- Workplace Authority2007–2010
How it came into existence
Began operating in 1997 after the Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996 renamed the Industrial Relations Act 1988 the Workplace Relations Act 1996 and inserted a new part creating the statutory office of Employment Advocate, initially within the Industrial Relations portfolio; it administered the new Australian Workplace Agreements and had no direct predecessor.
Legislation: Workplace Relations Act 1996
Changes during its life
- 27 March 2006Under Work Choices all workplace agreements, collective and individual, were lodged with the Employment Advocate rather than certified by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
How it ended
Renamed the Workplace Authority from 1 July 2007 under the Workplace Relations Amendment (A Stronger Safety Net) Act 2007.
Main functions
- Approval and filing of Australian Workplace Agreements
- Lodgement of collective agreements (from 2006)
- Advice on agreement making
- Investigation of freedom of association complaints
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
Government records and websites
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.