Can I sue my employer if they lie to me about work policies?

[Kraknut]

Jurisdiction

Australia

Hello,
I am an electrician working for a company that installs, maintains and repairs auto doors. My employer made me sign an agreement to be the QTP of his business. He said that every electrician who works here has to sign it. No one else has. He lied. Also he says I have to work overtime whenever asked. We have an after hours service. He uses an award that apparently is non existant any more according to fair work. I and my partner have suffered mentally and physically because of forced overtime. We have 4 young kids under 6. When I bring it up he says I have an attitude problem.
Do I have legal grounds to sue?

 

[mightymoose]

Your aren't being "forced" to work overtime. You can always say "No".
So long as you are being paid appropriately for the time you work it doesn't seem you have any legal action to pursue.
Perhaps you should put some effort into finding a better employer?

 

[Kraknut]

If I say I dont want to work overtime because I want to play with my kids, after working overtime 3 consecutive days before hand, and my employer says I have to because I am closest even though it is after 4pm and our call out staff are on duty? (I am not rostered on call) This has happened each fortnight 4 roughly 4 years. This doesnt sound right to me. Where do you get your info from or are you guessing?

 

[Kraknut]

Also he doesnt pay me correctly according to his own policies regarding pay rates concerning overtime, continuation and call back. He just pays under overtime rates (conditions are different for each ie continuation means if you go to another job after your normal day (7.6hrs) and is paid at overtime rates untill you get home) This never happens because I asked payroll. Often it takes me 2hrs to get home. Does this sound strange?

 

[cbg]

This is primarily a US board. US and Australian law is not the same. I believe one of our regular posters has some knowledge of Australian law so perhaps when he gets here he can say. The rest of us would just be wasting both your time and ours trying to guess what the laws of your country say.

 

[Kraknut]

This is primarily a US board. US and Australian law is not the same. I believe one of our regular posters has some knowledge of Australian law so perhaps when he gets here he can say. The rest of us would just be wasting both your time and ours trying to guess what the laws of your country say.

Ok thankyou