What we do at NSW Industrial Relations

Our role

At NSW Industrial Relations we aim to ensure compliance with industrial legislation and promote workplace reform in NSW. Some of the ways we do this includes:

Core responsibilities

Promoting compliance

We conduct industry-specific audits and education activities. If we find that someone has broken the law, we may take them to court.

We promote compliance by:

• providing information, advice, and assistance regarding industrial entitlements
• conducting industrial inspections and targeted campaigns in specific industries
• when necessary, prosecuting breaches of industrial law.

Leading NSW public sector industrial relations reform

We give new and principle-based guidance on work relations. We share the best ways of doing things across the public sector. We lead reforms by:

• providing innovative and principles-based direction on industrial relations matters.
• proactively developing and promoting best practices across the sector.

Actively participating in national workplace relations

We take part as a partner in the Commonwealth’s national workplace relations framework.

Our activities

Our activities include:

• Investigating complaints 
• Engaging and collaborating with stakeholders  
• Providing digital learning
• Cooperating across jurisdictions
• Inspecting worksites
• Providing online and phone information service (see Contact us below)
• Conducting proactive audits 
• Publishing enforcement activities and outcomes
• Prosecuting.

Our principles

Our values and principles include continuous improvement, trust building and balancing risk. 

Also see the Statement of Intent - NSW Industrial Relations Inspectorate.

Legislation

NSW Industrial Relations administers the following primary legislation:

Related legislation