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Rima Newman

Principal

Bachelor of Laws, Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors

P: +61 3 9609 1518

M:

E: rnewman@rk.com.au

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  • Education
  • Construction & Infrastructure
  • Not-for-Profit
  • Property
  • Workplace Relations
  • Employment Advice
  • Employment Disputes
  • Equal Opportunity and Discrimination
  • Industrial Relations
  • Workplace Health and Safety
  • Workplace Agreements
  • Financial Services
  • Warehousing
  • Logistics
  • Transport
  • Retail
  • Manufacturing
  • Professional Services
  • Workplace Investigations

Rima has a depth of experience in employment law, industrial relations, discrimination and equal opportunity law and occupational health and safety across Australia. She has worked in the employment and industrial relations field for over 20 years.

As a recognised expert in her field, Rima acts as a trusted advisor in workplace matters to a range of businesses, from SMEs to multi-nationals. Rima has worked for employers in a wide variety of industries, including financial services/funds management, warehousing, transport and logistics, horticulture, education, retail, manufacturing, property, construction, professional membership bodies, professional services and not-for-profit.

Experience

  • Advising on all aspects of employment law including the preparation of employment contracts, interpretation of contracts, and general advice on performance and disciplinary action. This includes senior executive terminations, issues involving breaches of statutory and contractual obligations, awards and enterprise agreements, and disciplinary action
  • Representing corporate clients/employers in employment related claims/disputes including discrimination claims (including applications for specific exemptions from the anti-discrimination legislation), breach of contract (including breaches of restraints of trade and associated injunctive proceedings) unfair dismissals, general protections/adverse action claims and workplace investigations. For example, Rima acted on behalf of a defence contractor in a successful application before New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board (including as advocate) in seeking an exemption under the Anti-Discrimination Act (NSW)
  • Advising on equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and sexual harassment matters/litigation, including preparation of matters for hearing in federal and state tribunals/courts throughout Australia. For example, Rima represented a client in defence of Federal Court proceedings instituted by a class of employees alleging discrimination, breaches of an enterprise agreement and unlawful terminations/racial discrimination
  • Advising on termination of employment including summary dismissal, performance related issues and redundancy, preparation of matters before, and appearing in, various federal and state Courts and Tribunals including the Fair Work Commission, Federal Court of Australia, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and various state anti-discrimination tribunals (as well as the Australian Human Rights Commission).
  • Advising on managing ill and injured workers, including in relation to medical examinations and return to work issues and terminations in appropriate circumstances
  • Advising employers on obligations in relation to entitlements, including wages, allowances and other benefits, including limitations on senior executive termination payments and underpayment claims, and representing and advising employers including liaising with the Fair Work Ombudsman on behalf of clients
  • Advising on Awards (including classifications of employees), enterprise agreements, industrial disputes and Fair Work Act 2009, and representing clients in litigious matters involving alleged breaches of Awards/enterprise agreements
  • Advising on the interaction between enterprise agreements, transitional awards, modern awards, State reference public sector awards and the National Employment Standards
  • Advising and preparing human resources policies and manuals/handbooks and employment forms, conducting workplace training for all levels of staff and boards/committees (including governance issues and director responsibilities, including under health and safety legislation and anti-discrimination/harassment legislation)
  • Drafting and negotiating enterprise agreements, including assisting employers with all necessary approval steps and documents and negotiation strategies, as well as attendance at bargaining meetings, and representing clients in negotiations with unions, as well as lodgement of agreements
  • Advising employers in relation to transfer of business issues in commercial transactions, including transfer and payout of entitlements
  • Writing articles on employment law and industrial issues

Leadership

  • Member, Australian Human Resources Institute
  • Graduate and Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors
  • Member, Australian Labour and Employment Law Association
  • Member, Industrial Relations Society of Victoria
  • Member, Law Institute of Victoria
  • Former Executive and Committee Member, Workplace Relations Section of the Law Institute of Victoria
  • Former Deputy Chair and Chair, Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity Sub Group of the Law Institute
  • Former Chair, Quality Committee, Northern Health 
  • Former Non Executive Director, Northern Health )
  • Former Deputy Chair, Workforce Planning Committee 
  • Former Tutor, Leo Cussen Institute 
  • Former Barrister, Victorian Bar