Saul Harben
Clayton Utz
Partner
Sydney
"Saul Harben … is identified as one of the top employment practitioners in Perth. He often acts for employers on employee and industrial relations matters, including disputes and investigations. A client comments that "he is an excellent lawyer who is commercial and practical," adding: "He is always there for our company and we feel as though he is part of our team rather than an external service provider." Chambers Asia Pacific - Employment
Overview
With more than two decades of experience, Saul Harben is a distinguished workplace relations advisor with a focus on energy & resources, transport & logistics, higher education, and retail & finance sectors. Saul's extensive expertise encompasses strategic counsel and operational guidance for across numerous industries, as well as government agencies and statutory authorities. Saul's collaborative approach aids clients in crafting effective communication strategies during workplace transformations.
Notable Work
- Renowned in industrial relations, Saul excels in designing and implementing strategic industrial strategies, resolving disputes, and negotiating collective and individual industrial instruments.
- A seasoned employee relations expert, Saul crafts employment contracts, reviews policies, handles performance management, terminations, and conducts complex workplace investigations.
- With a focus on equal opportunity, Saul guides clients through EEO investigations, litigations, and effective strategies for managing ill and injured employees.
- Adept in workplace health and safety, Saul offers insights on WHS obligations, accident investigations, and WHS litigation, including board-level advice.
- A specialist in executive remuneration, Saul handles employment agreements, share option plans, termination of senior executives, incentive plans, and confidentiality enforcement.
- Distinguished in the oil and gas industry, Saul has a track record of negotiating enterprise agreements for major players like Diamond Offshore, ENI, and Petrofac.
- Representing Austal in Federal Court litigation, Saul navigates complex right of entry disputes in the context of workplace discussions.
- Trusted advisor to the Australian Rail Track Corporation, Saul provides guidance on enterprise agreements, workforce expansion, and aligning HR policies with government priorities.
- Saul's employment law expertise spans contract drafting, policy reviews, social media management, termination, redundancy, restructuring, and intricate workplace investigations.
- Saul is a leading voice on industrial relations reform, helping clients navigate legislative changes and their impact on employment agreements and policies.
Insights
Chambers Global Practice Guides - HR Internal Investigations 2025
19 Mar 2025 | Document
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Closing Loopholes No 2: What you need to know about the next raft of changes commencing 26 August
26 Aug 2024 | Article
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Media: Saul Harben talks to Radio 6PR about the right to disconnect
30 Jul 2024 | Audio
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Fair Work Commission to review fixed term clauses in university modern awards
22 Jul 2024 | Article
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Closing Loopholes No. 2: what you need to know on the right to disconnect, casual employment and more
21 Feb 2024 | Article
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Media Release: Boost to Clayton Utz's Workplace Relations, Employment and Safety practice with relocation of IR expert
6 Feb 2024 | Media Release
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Closing Loopholes Bill split in two: Wage theft and labour hire amendments passed the Senate today
7 Dec 2023 | Article
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New rules for fixed-term contracts from 6 December 2023: are you ready?
30 Nov 2023 | Article
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IR reforms 3.0: get ready for changes to casual and gig employment, labour hire, wage theft and union rights
5 Sep 2023 | Article
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Underpayments – the three questions for directors to ask to uncover the hidden risk
13 Jun 2023 | Article
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Contract remains king and the superannuation guarantee is still unsettled, so check your independent contractor contracts
29 May 2023 | Article
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Poor report card on modern slavery compliance acknowledged with $8m to implement Anti-Slavery Commissioner
12 May 2023 | Article
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Employment outside NSW won’t automatically count for long service leave in NSW, so review how you track it now
15 Dec 2022 | Article
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Incoming amendments to the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 (NT)
15 Nov 2022 | Article
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Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill to be introduced to Federal Parliament next week, but how far it goes is still unknown
19 Oct 2022 | Article
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How will potential changes to multi-enterprise bargaining affect employers?
26 Sep 2022 | Article
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Large corporates and universities beware – FWO announces record $532 million recovery of underpayments
1 Sep 2022 | Article
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Revised Building Code released, and reduction in powers of the ABCC
26 Jul 2022 | Article
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Federal election 2022: The new Labor Government's industrial relations agenda at a glance
23 May 2022 | Article
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The terms of the contract are decisive of the employee/contractor issue – with some provisos, says High Court
11 Feb 2022 | Article
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Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies still possible, if done correctly
6 Dec 2021 | Article
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My employee refuses to be vaccinated against COVID-19: What do I do?
29 Nov 2021 | Article
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New WA procurement regulations raise the stakes for government suppliers
25 Nov 2021 | Article
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Mythbusting legal misinformation about COVID-19 vaccine mandates: what employers can do
16 Nov 2021 | Article
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New mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for Victorian authorised workers
8 Oct 2021 | Article
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WA mining mandate: the latest sector to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine
5 Oct 2021 | Article
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Media: Saul Harben talks to Radio 6PR about mandatory COVID-19 vaccination
11 Aug 2021 | Audio
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High Court overturns Rossato decision giving clarity around casual employee classification
5 Aug 2021 | Article
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Latest Government guidance reaffirms voluntary COVID-19 vaccination policy
23 Feb 2021 | Article
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The Federal Government's omnibus IR reforms legislation: what is in, what is out, and what you need to do now
10 Dec 2020 | Article
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WHS overhaul as Western Australia set to adopt the harmonised WHS laws
23 Oct 2020 | Article
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High Court gives employers some relief by fixing unreasonable view of personal leave accruals
13 Aug 2020 | Article
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Victoria's work restrictions – considerations for all Australian employers
3 Aug 2020 | Article
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Victorian employers' COVID-19 incident notification duties have changed
30 Jul 2020 | Article
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Victoria to mandate face coverings - what does this mean for PCBUs across Australia?
21 Jul 2020 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz congratulates ConocoPhillips on completion of $US1.39 billion sale of Australia-West assets to Santos Limited
29 May 2020 | Media Release
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Employer liability for an employee illegally dumping waste – despite express instructions
14 May 2020 | Article
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Federal Parliament passes legislation meaning JobKeeper payments will soon flow
8 Apr 2020 | Article
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Employee underpayments in focus as Senate establishes wage theft inquiry
15 Nov 2019 | Article
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Media Release: Clayton Utz advises ConocoPhillips on $US1.39 billion sale of Australia-West assets to Santos Limited
17 Oct 2019 | Media Release
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Hold Your Fire! Anonymous tweeting can breach the APS Code of Conduct and justify termination
8 Aug 2019 | Article
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Media Release: Legal industry peers rate Clayton Utz highly in the latest Best Lawyers Australia list
29 Mar 2019 | Media Release
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Media Release: Clayton Utz congratulates NT Government on the opening of award-winning Palmerston Regional Hospital
27 Aug 2018 | Media Release
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Your casual workers are not actually casual, says Full Federal Court – so review all casual engagements now!
17 Aug 2018 | Article
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Clayton Utz features prominently on the 2019 Best Lawyers Australia list
13 Apr 2018 | Media Release
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Compulsory Family and Domestic Violence Leave is on the way for Modern Awards
27 Mar 2018 | Article
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High Court gives significant win to employers during enterprise bargaining
6 Dec 2017 | Article
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Penalty rate cuts for hospitality and retail sectors – transitional arrangements commence on 1 July
6 Jun 2017 | Article
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Bullying at the boardroom table can now go to the Fair Work Commission
25 May 2017 | Article
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Labour hire companies can't rely on host employers' processes to dismiss an employee
25 May 2017 | Article
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Clayton Utz lawyers among Australia's best, say industry peers
7 Apr 2017 | Media Release
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Can you direct an employee to attend a medical evaluation? It depends, say the Full Federal Court
15 Mar 2017 | Article
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Sunday and public holiday penalty rates in modern awards reduced for hospitality and retail sectors
23 Feb 2017 | Article
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High Court overturns controversial Barclay adverse action decision
7 Sep 2012 | Article
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