Alix Parnell

Alix has extensive experience representing both employers and employees in a range of workplace law matters. Her focus includes advising on HR management practices, conducting modern award coverage and compliance audits, advising on Enterprise Agreement negotiations and document preparation, conducting workplace training, advising on termination of employment and workplace litigation. 

This breadth of experience has allowed her to develop an understanding of the complex motivators and risks in workplace law matters, and the different strategies available to clients to achieve their desired outcome. With a commercial mindset, Alix works closely with clients to understand their business and their appetite for risk to develop an approach to workplace matters that best suit their needs.  

 

Qualifications/Memberships

• Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws (Deakin University)
• Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia

 

A word from Alix

I am fortunate to work in a role that I truly enjoy. As a person who is fascinated by how people operate and who enjoys solving problems, I find it very satisfying to assist clients to resolve workplace challenges.

 

Career highlights

• Successfully represented a NDIS provider in an unfair dismissal case regarding a disability care worker who was dismissed for leaving his shift and unilaterally reducing the ratio of carers.

• Favourable result for a construction company in a SafeWork prosecution concerning the risk of workers being exposed to respirable crystalline silica on the basis that it was not a continuing breach for the whole of the relevant period, resulting in a reduced penalty.

• Acted for a food manufacturer in a SafeWork prosecution concerning an ammonia gas leak which resulted in the death of an employee.

• Executing a search order (Anton Piller Order) on behalf of an employer to seize its confidential documents in the possession of a former employee.

 

Specific areas of focus

• General HR advisory: advising on performance management, complaint management, investigations, managing long term injured employees and termination of employment.

• Workplace disputes and litigation: advising on employment disputes such as stop bullying orders, discrimination claims, unfair dismissal and general protections claims.

• Interpretation: advising on and interpreting contracts, industrial instruments and legislation.

• Compliance review: auditing modern award coverage and conducting pay compliance reviews.

• Enterprise bargaining: advising regarding bargaining and applying to the FWC for approval for enterprise agreements.  

• Work health and safety: general WHS advice and prosecution support.