Workplace issues don’t always erupt with warning.
Sometimes they start with a complaint.
Other times, they start with a policy that’s quietly out of step with the law.

And right now, one of the biggest shifts in Australian workplace relations is already underway and catching some of the country’s largest employers off guard.

Chevron. BHP. The fallout has begun.

Whether you’re in mining, energy, FMCG, manufacturing or services, if your business uses contractors, outsourced providers or labour hire, now is the time to get across the risks.

The Risk Isn’t Just Hypothetical Anymore

This month, BHP lost a landmark Same Job Same Pay case, with 2,200 of its labour hire workers across three Queensland mines now set to receive pay increases of $30,000 each, costing the company an estimated $66 million annually.

Chevron is facing similar union-led claims, with wage increases of up to $80,000 per contractor on the table, and growing calls for the case to set a broader legal precedent.

The message is clear:
If contractors are performing the same work as direct hires, they may be entitled to the same pay and conditions, regardless of your current model.

How a Preliminary Assessment Can Help You Get Ahead

Before launching a full-scale review, consider this. A Preliminary Assessment allows your business to:

• Clarify whether your current arrangements are genuinely compliant
• Understand who is directing, supervising or rostering contractors in practice
• Spot legacy contractor models that may now fall into a legal grey zone
• Determine if your organisation could be exposed under the new rules
• Create a proportionate response without triggering unnecessary alarm internally

It’s not about panic.
It’s about proactive clarity.

The Real Risk? Doing Nothing or Overcorrecting

In our work across Utilities, FMCG, Start Ups and Small Business, we’ve seen businesses respond in two unhelpful ways:

1. Ignoring early red flags and hoping they don’t escalate
2. Dismantling effective contractor models out of fear
   

Both approaches create risk.
What’s needed is a middle path: practical, independent guidance that balances compliance with operational reality.

Why Workvergent?

We specialise in workplace relations consulting for the modern workplace. One where compliance, culture and business continuity must all align.

At Workvergent, we help HR leaders, operations managers and business owners navigate these shifts without chaos. We bring deep experience in interpreting industrial relations changes, managing contractor exposure, and guiding you through complex compliance updates. All while protecting what matters most: your people, your agility and your reputation.

Not sure whether your contractor arrangements hold up under new scrutiny?
Let’s start with a Preliminary Assessment.

Contact us or visit www.workvergent.com.au