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Megan Cant

Expertise

With more than a decade of specialist experience, Megan is an expert adviser in all areas of employment, industrial relations, and work health and safety law. Megan partners with employers and directors and has particular industry expertise in media, professional services, construction, prestige and luxury goods and automotive, cash-in-transit, tourism, superannuation and health.

Megan appears in all Federal and State courts, tribunals and the Fair Work Commission and is notable for her discreet management of highly litigious and complex claims. Megan has significant experience in the resolution and strategic management of disputes arising under anti-discrimination and industrial laws as well as guiding employers and directors in critical incident investigations and defending work health and safety criminal prosecutions.

Megan’s practice also includes partnering with her clients in navigating workplace change in the complex Australian industrial landscape. She works with her clients to identify the core workplace issues they are facing and develops tailored, effective and commercial solutions.

Experience

Megan’s experience includes:

  • advising employers and people managers on the full spectrum of employment law, including managing bullying and other workplace complaints, advising on the management of privacy, misconduct and performance issues, the management of ill and injured employees, the review and drafting of policies and contracts for senior executives, employees and independent contractors
  • engaging with employers in scoping their workforce in an uncertain economic environment to develop pragmatic and strategic change management plans for restructures and arising from business sales and acquisitions
  • acting in State and Federal courts and tribunals, including the Fair Work Commission, in employment and industrial litigation, including right of entry disputes and high profile sexual harassment, discrimination and vilification litigation
  • guiding employers, directors and safety managers through all stages following a critical safety incident, including regulatory investigations and work health and safety prosecutions
  • advising employers on navigating interactions with regulators, including the Fair Work Ombudsman, in relation to compliance issues and underpayments
  • conducting and advising on workplace investigations, from routine to complex and sensitive investigations
  • advising on post-employment conduct, including discovery of fraud and enforcing post-employment restraints of trade
  • defending general protections, unfair dismissal and unlawful termination disputes, including successfully pursuing jurisdictional objections to eliminate proceedings prior to a substantive hearing.

Publications

30 August 2024 - Knowledge

Modern award changes following the ‘right to disconnect’

#Workplace Relations & Safety

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has varied all 155 modern awards to include a right to disconnect clause. While the clause is now in effect, employers can still provide feedback to the FWC on challenges they encounter with its implementation.

02 April 2024 - Knowledge

First successful SafeWork NSW prosecution for discriminatory conduct under the WHS Act

#Workplace Relations & Safety

The District Court of NSW has convicted and fined a Qantas subsidiary for engaging in discriminatory conduct against a health and safety representative.

07 February 2024 - Knowledge

Closing Loopholes: 2023 recap & 2024 outlook

#Workplace Relations & Safety

Our summary of key changes to workplace relations and safety law arising from the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023 and the proposed amendments in the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes No.2) Bill 2023.

12 December 2023 - Knowledge

Record high damages awarded for sexual harassment

#Workplace Relations & Safety

Following a recent case, the Federal Court of Australia has set a new benchmark for general damages in sexual harassment cases, awarding general damages compensation of more than $180,000.

12 September 2023 - Knowledge

Professional Employees Award: Key changes commencing 16 September 2023

#Workplace Relations & Safety

Employers covered by Professional Employees Award 2020 will see new explicit obligations for overtime, penalty rates and record keeping come into effect from their employee’s first full pay period on or after 16 September.

07 March 2023 - Knowledge

How will the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act impact sexual harassment and discrimination in workplace? (Part 4)

#Workplace Relations & Safety

In the fourth part of this series, we examine the changes to the Fair Work Act with respect to sexual harassment and anti-discrimination, and how it impacts employers.

23 January 2023 - Knowledge

Key dates for employers in 2023

#Workplace Relations & Safety

This article provides an overview of the key 2023 commencement dates under recently enacted legislation for employers and human resources and industrial relations practitioners.

01 November 2022 - Knowledge

Federal Government overhauls IR laws with new Secure Jobs Better Pay Bill

#Workplace Relations & Safety

In what is the broadest set of changes to industrial laws in a decade, the Federal Government has introduced the Secure Jobs Better Pay Bill 2022 to amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). This article looks at the proposed legislation and the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill passed on 27 October 2022.