Review of Butterworths Employment and Law Dictionary

Author:	Antonio Buti BPE (Hons), Dip Ed, MIR, LLB (Hons) (ANU) Senior Lecturer, Murdoch University School of Law
Subjects:	Law - study and teaching - Australia (Other articles)
Issue:	Volume 6, Number 2 (June 1999)
Category:	Current Developments

1. The nature of employment in Australia has undergone major changes in the last five years. There has been significant legislative (i.e. Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth)), policy, practical and attitudinal changes in all disciplines or spheres that come together under the employment umbrella. These disciplines or spheres include employment law, industrial law, industrial relations, human resources management, occupational health and safety, and workers' compensation.

2. By its very nature change often brings uncertainty and confusion. Uncertainty and confusion often emanates from new terminology, which may appear complex. A dictionary which illuminates words and phrases associated with the ever changing nature of employment and the law would be of immense benefit to all those interested and involved in that area of law. Butterworths Employment and Law Dictionary certainly achieves this aim of illuminating 'those words and phrases in each main area of contemporary law'(at xii).

3. The purpose and explanation of the content of the book is eloquently stated by the editor, Professor Ronald McCallum:

   ...The purpose of compiling this small dictionary of employment and labour law terms is to provide human resource managers, industrial relations personnel and lawyers with a reference guide of the major legal terms and phrases which come within the broad fields of employment and labour law. In making the selections for this dictionary, I have, of course, chosen terms and phrases from the standard legal areas of employment law, occupational health and safety and workers' compensation. Yet, the practice and the application of labour law traverses broader legal vistas. To this end, I have chosen appropriate terms from the general fields of contract law, the law of torts, agency law, corporations law, administrative law and constitutional law. Other relevant terms concerning the establishment and jurisdiction of courts and tribunals also have been included...(at xiii).

4. The dictionary is impressively laid out and the language is very precise and clear. This is critically important, as the purpose of referring to a dictionary is to improve ones understanding of a word or phrase.

5. The user is further assisted by the inclusion of a two page 'how to use' segment (at xv-xvi).This is most informative: it describes what information is provided and what it denotes. For example, the dictionary provides synonyms, Latin terms or Latin derivations, cross referencing, legislative authorities, judicial authorities and phonetic fonts that indicate the pronunciations of Latin terms. The dictionary also provides a list of 'International Phonetic Alphabet Symbols for Australian English', 'Table of Contents', 'Table of Abbreviations', lists of relevant organisations, and contact details for federal court registries, state industrial commission registries, workcover agencies, government agencies and relevant peak bodies.

6. Butterworths Employment and Law Dictionary should prove to be a valuable reference for all those working in the 'rapidly evolving industrial relations environment' who required 'some familiarity with the meaning of terms in the employment law area.' The dictionary will also prove useful for employment and industrial law academics and their students.