Workplace Rights & Respect

Overview

Class Size: 7 students
Stage: Year 10 (suitable for Years 7–10 Work Education)
Lesson Duration: 55 minutes
Curriculum Link:
Australian Curriculum – Work Studies (Years 7–10)
Code: ACWSCL019 – "Understand the nature of work and explore the implications of changes in work for individuals and communities.”

This lesson deepens student understanding of fair pay, leave entitlements, and working hours in Australia. Students engage with real-world case studies and explore how the law protects their future workplace rights.

---

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

✅ Identify key employee entitlements under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)
✅ Understand employer responsibilities regarding pay, shift hours, and leave
✅ Analyse and respond to realistic workplace scenarios
✅ Know where to go for help when workplace rights are violated

---

Materials Required

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed case study sheets (3 provided below)
• Projector or digital display
• Student devices (optional for extension activity)
• Worksheet handouts (comprehension or Cornell note style)
• Reflection/exit ticket cards

---

Lesson Breakdown (55 Minutes)

⏱️ 1. Hook – Rights in the Real World (10 mins)

Visual Starter:
Play the video “Every Worker Has Rights” (Fair Work Ombudsman | 3 min 40 sec).

Class Discussion Prompts:

• What are 3 rights mentioned in the video?
• Do you know someone who works part-time or casually?
• Did they get paid fairly? Were they given breaks?

Teacher Write-Up: On the board, brainstorm student responses and highlight key terms:
pay – breaks – contract – hours – leave – Fair Work – tax – entitlements

👉 Encourage questions and use local examples (e.g. McDonald's, Woolworths, or Macca's job teens might be familiar with).

---

⏱️ 2. Mini-Lesson – Know the Law (10 mins)

Teacher Explanation:

Display a short PowerPoint or printed summary. Hand out 1-page Legal Snapshot with this breakdown:

Employment Right	What the Law Says (Fair Work Act 2009)
Pay	Must meet the National Minimum Wage or an Award Rate. No “cash-in-hand” without payslips.
Leave	Part-time/full-time: sick leave & annual leave. Casuals: casual loading (extra pay).
Working Hours	Max 38 hours/week for full-time. Regular breaks required if working long shifts.
Contracts	Outline obligations, entitlements, and employer duties. Even casuals should understand what is expected.
Payslips	Required legally. Show hours, deductions, & superannuation.

Activity Tip: Ask students to guess what percent of underpaid workers are young people — then reveal the real figure: over 44% of underpayment complaints to Fair Work are from people under 25!

---

⏱️ 3. Small Group Case Studies – Apply It! (20 mins)

Set-Up:
Split into 3 groups (2–3 students per group). Each group gets a different Realistic Case Study on printed cards.

---

📄 Case Study 1: “The Missing Payslip”

Scenario:
Lily works at a café earning $14/hour, “cash-in-hand.” She’s never given a payslip and doesn’t get a lunch break for her 6-hour shift.

Discussion Questions:

• Is this situation legal? Why or why not?
• What rights is Lily missing?
• What can Lily do?

---

📄 Case Study 2: “The Sick Shift”

Scenario:
Jordan is a part-time worker in retail. They have the flu but are pressured to come to work anyway or risk “losing shifts.”

Discussion Questions:

• What does the law say about sick leave?
• What protections does Jordan have?
• What’s the risk for the employer?

---

📄 Case Study 3: “The Marathon Week”

Scenario:
Ali is employed as a casual worker but regularly works 45 hours a week. He receives no sick leave and doesn’t qualify for long service leave.

Discussion Questions:

• Is Ali being treated fairly?
• What entitlements might Ali be missing?
• What steps can he take?

---

Group Task:

Each group has 10 minutes to:

• Read and discuss their case
• Act it out briefly for the class (1–2 min skit or simulated text convo)
• Share their responses with a focus on the legal and ethical issues involved

---

⏱️ 4. Whole-Class Reflection & Reporting Back (10 mins)

Facilitate a structured discussion. Record key points on the board under the headings:

• ✅ Legal Rights
• ⚠️ Employer Responsibilities
• 🚨 What Can You Do?

Key Discussion Prompts:

• What did the workers in each case do wrong or right?
• What mistakes did the employers make?
• How could situations like these be reported or resolved?

Teacher Note:
Introduce the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman, unions, and anonymous complaint options. Remind students that retaliation in response to complaints is illegal.

---

⏱️ 5. Exit Ticket – Personal Reflection (5 mins)

Hand each student an exit slip card to complete and hand in before leaving.

Reflection Prompts:

1. One right I didn’t know about before today is…
2. If I ever have a problem at work, I would…
3. The most important thing I learned today is…

Optional: Students can use coloured stickers to rate their confidence in workplace rights knowledge (Red = not confident, Orange = some understanding, Green = confident).

---

Differentiation & Extension

🔄 Differentiation:

• Pair younger students with older ones for support during case studies
• Offer sentence starters like:
  • “I think this situation is unfair because…”
  • “One action they could take is…”

🔍 Extension Options:

• Use devices to research real cases of underpayment (e.g. 7-Eleven scandal or Deliveroo ruling).
• Write a formal complaint letter as if they were the worker in the scenario.
• Explore templates for making anonymous reports to Fair Work.

---

Assessment & Evidence

• Participation in group case study
• Responses in group sharing and full-class discussion
• Accuracy and depth of reflection cards
• Teacher observation of vocabulary use and legal concept comprehension

---

Suggested Teacher Resources (Offline or Pre-Downloaded)

• Fair Work Ombudsman Workplace Rights video (download prior to lesson)
• Case Study handout pack (print before lesson)
• "Know Your Rights at Work" summary sheet (A4 student resource)

---

Teacher Notes

🌟 This lesson intentionally focuses on practical, relevant, and student-centred learning.

• Connect the content to students’ lives — many are preparing to enter the workforce.
• Keep examples grounded in local Australian workplaces to maximise engagement.
• Set clear boundaries for respectful discussion, especially around stories of unfair treatment.

---

Optional Follow-Up Lesson Ideas

• Writing a resume: How your rights are relevant in job-seeking
• Exploring superannuation and retirement savings
• Understanding tax file numbers and payslip literacy
• Role-play: interviewing and job rejection lawfulness

---

Final Thoughts

Empowering students with the knowledge of their legal rights at work not only fulfils the curriculum but ensures they enter the workforce with confidence, awareness, and resilience.

✨ Students who understand Fair Work now are better prepared for their careers tomorrow.