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Sarah Newman

Lawyer

Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts, Graduate Certificate in Industrial Relations


  • Education
  • Equal Opportunity and Discrimination
  • Industrial Relations
  • Workplace Health and Safety
  • Employment Law
  • Contractor & Employees

Sarah worked in a people and culture and industrial relations capacity for 10 years, including 4 years at an industrial organisation and over 2 years as the Head of Workplace Relations for a large independent school in Victoria.

Sarah has extensive experience across all stages of enterprise bargaining, and her practical experience in school settings gives her strong insight into the operational realities and sector-specific challenges faced by independent schools.

Sarah now provides advice to a range of independent schools in relation to employment, industrial, and discrimination matters.

Experience

  • In her role as Head of Workplace Relations, Sarah assisted Xavier College to successfully negotiate a new single enterprise agreement (Xavier College Enterprise Agreement 2023)
  • Sarah has represented employers in numerous unfair dismissal conciliation conferences
  • Sarah has also successfully opposed several extension of time applications, resulting in the Fair Work Commission dismissing the claims in Webster v Xavier College Ltd [2022] FWC 1555, Marinelli v Bell Street Pharmacy [2020] FWC 5117; and Warden v Pharmacy Excellence Marysville T/A Pharmacy Excellence [2020] FWC 4713
  • Sarah has defended employers in numerous general protections conciliation conferences, successfully setting claims for nominal amounts, whilst preventing the matters from proceeding to hearing at the Federal Court
  • Sarah has conducted end to end investigations on behalf of employers in response to bullying and harassment concerns
  • Sarah has also supported Independent Schools with their obligations regarding mandatory reporting to the Commission of Children and Young People

Leadership

  • Member, Industrial Relations Society of Victoria