Profile
Erin has over fifteen years’ experience in providing advice to employers and employer associations on all aspects of occupational health and safety, employment and industrial relations law as well as delivering essential information seminars and training workshops on key employment issues.
Erin has extensive experience providing advice in relation to performance management, misconduct investigations and unfair dismissal claims, bullying, discrimination and harassment matters and occupational health and safety issues including risk management and policy development.
In particular, Erin has been involved in numerous enterprise bargaining processes for large organisations across industry sectors, supporting clients in the planning, negotiation and implementation stages of the process.
Erin is a co-author with Professor Andrew Stewart and Elise Jenkin of Parental Leave: A User-Friendly Guide, published by Thomson Reuters in December 2011.
As a part of our national team, Erin advises clients in all states and territories in Australia.
Expertise
Recognition
‘Erin McCarthy – very easy to work with, pragmatic and patient.’
The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific: Labour and employment, 2024 edition – Testimonials
‘Erin McCarthy, in particular, is amazing. She can converse with our managers, board, HR team and executive and convey information in real terms that people understand. She is down to earth, has a sense of humour, and gets our business because has taken time to learn about our operations and risk appetite etc…’
The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific: Labour and employment, 2021 edition – Testimonials
‘Erin McCarthy is straightforward, practical, and to the point. Understands the commerciality of decisions.’
The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific: Labour and employment, 2023 edition – Testimonials
Accolades
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Occupational Health & Safety Law “Lawyer of the Year” (Adelaide, AU) – 2017 & 2022
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Education Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2022 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Labour & Employment Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2014 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Occupational Health & Safety Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2016 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Human Rights Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2020 edition
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Employment Lawyers (Employer Representation)- South Australia, since 2013
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Employment Lawyers (Employer Representation) – Australia, 2023
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Workplace Health & Safety Lawyers – South Australia, Since 2016
- Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards – Finalist for Workplace Relations and Employment Team of the Year – 2016, 2017 & 2018
- The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific – Recommended for Labour and employment– since 2017 edition
Memberships
- Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Industrial Relations Society of South Australia
- Australian Labour Law Association
- Board Member, Bedford Phoenix Inc
- Board Member, Bedford Group Limited
- Board Member, Rural Doctors Workforce Agency
Insights
06 March 2024
Webinar Q&As: 2024 ‘Beat the Clock’ Series: Substantive Law | Underpayment or wage theft? Understanding...
Read More01 November 2023
Unfair Contract Terms and Independent Contractors – Are your templates at risk under new reforms?
Read More25 October 2023
Employment Relations Podcast #35 – The Governance of Decision Making in the Post-Qantas Environment
Read More22 March 2022
A FIFO Tale: Tell him he’s dreamin’: Employer liable for sleepwalker who urinates on co-worker
Read More11 February 2022
Contract Rules – In two landmark decisions, the High Court has restored some confidence in...
Read More27 January 2022
Fair Work Commission decision – implementing and enforcing vaccination policies
Read More12 August 2021
Employment Relations Podcast #19 – Privacy and Consent: Is your organisation collecting “sensitive” personal information...
Read More21 July 2021
Employment Relations Podcast #18 – COVID-19 Vaccinations and your workplace: Is it a lawful and...
Read More27 April 2021
COVID-19 vaccinations for employees: can it be “lawful and reasonable” for your organisation to make...
Read More29 April 2020
Webinar Q&As: Employment relations national seminar series – Managing mental health in the workplace
Read More02 April 2020
Employment Relations Podcast #9 – April 2020 update regarding the employment law considerations arising from...
Read More31 March 2020
JobKeeper Payment – A wage subsidy scheme for businesses affected by coronavirus
Read More31 March 2020
Urgent update on COVID-19 Industrial Issues – Commission allows changes to the Clerks Award in...
Read More13 March 2020
Employment Relations Podcast #8 – COVID-19 and Work Health and Safety Obligations
Read More13 November 2017
Can an employer sue its former employee for pre-employment misrepresentations?
Read More07 February 2017