Workplace Bullying Lawyers

Yes. Workplace bullying and harassment are not limited to conduct by your employer or co-workers. They can involve a client, customer, or another third party you interact with as part of your job, provided the conduct meets the relevant legal threshold. If you are experiencing repeated unreasonable behaviour from a third party, it is worth getting advice early, as it can affect which legal pathway is the most appropriate for your circumstances.

Workplace bullying and harassment can happen face-to-face, over the phone, by email, or through social media and other online platforms. Behaviour that follows you outside standard work hours, such as repeated messages after you have finished for the day, can still form part of a pattern. What matters is the nature and impact of the behaviour, not the medium through which it occurs; online conduct connected to work-related events and workplace interactions are all relevant. Keeping copies of messages and emails is particularly useful evidence.

In many cases, yes. You can pursue both simultaneously as they serve different legal purposes. The Fair Work Commission pathway aims to stop the behaviour, while a workers’ compensation claim addresses the resulting injury. One does not automatically restrict your eligibility for the other. The injury can also affect more than your physical health. A psychological injury connected to sustained bullying or harassment can be a valid basis for a statutory claim. Both our employment lawyers and workers’ compensation team can help you navigate how these two options interact and decide the best sequence of steps for your situation.

While they often overlap, the main difference lies in repetition and the legal threshold. Bullying is always constituted by a pattern of repeated and unreasonable behaviour that poses a risk to your health and safety. Workplace harassment is a broader term for unwelcome behaviour that causes humiliation or intimidation, and it can sometimes give rise to legal protections after just a single serious incident (especially if it involves discrimination). Because the line between the two is often blurred, legal advice from our employment law team can help you identify exactly which categories apply.

Yes. Sexual harassment is a specific legal category covered by additional protections, including anti-discrimination protections under the Sex Discrimination Act (enforced by the Australian Human Rights Commission) and Anti-discrimination Act Qld (enforced by the  Queensland Human Rights Commission), as well as separate stop sexual harassment orders available through the Fair Work Commission.

If you have experienced sexual harassment, it is worth getting advice specifically about these protections. Our employment law team can offer guidance when you need it. The legal pathways and evidence involved can differ from general workplace matters, and we can help you understand which protections apply to your situation.

If your employer does not take your complaint seriously, you are not without options. You can seek legal advice about escalating the matter, including whether an application to the Fair Work Commission or a discrimination complaint may be appropriate.

How your employer responds to an internal complaint can also be relevant evidence if your matter progresses further.

It is completely normal to worry about retaliation, but the law provides strong protections. If you make a genuine complaint, your employer cannot lawfully dismiss you, demote you, take disciplinary action, or treat you unfavourably as “punishment” for speaking up. If an employer does retaliate, it can form the basis of a separate and serious legal claim known as an adverse action or general protections claim. We can discuss these protections with you before you formally lodge anything.

Yes, and the applicable time limit depends on which pathway you are pursuing. Applications to the Fair Work Commission generally need to be made while the behaviour is ongoing or there is a risk it will continue. Because these time limits differ and can affect your entitlements, it is important to seek advice as early as possible.

We provide an initial case assessment to help you understand your options. Fair Work Commission applications and broader employment law issues are managed under different fee structures, which we will outline clearly and transparently with you before any work begins.