Contractors v Employees: The differences and why it matters - Part 3

Article by Andrew Tobin, Partner

7. 'Failing to plan': The decision in Ripley v Ingles Marketing

Numerous cases illustrate the consequences of failing to plan or properly implement a plan for undertaking a contracting arrangement. Various examples are mentioned throughout this paper.

I have chosen to highlight the decision in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission in Ripley v Ingles Marketing Pty Ltd³⁶, for a few reasons, not the least of which is that I had some background involvement in the proceedings. The case is typically illustrative of the way in which disputes about the status of workers might unfold and how, in the litigious environment, such a dispute is resolved.