Top legal and operational experts equip Australian businesses with the knowledge to navigate compliance and optimize offshore workforce models.
Online – September 17, 2025 – Dentons, a global leader in legal services, and Cloudstaff, a pioneer in virtual staffing, joined forces for the webinar “Navigating Offshore Staffing Risks in a Changing Australian Legal Landscape.” The session brought together business leaders, HR professionals, and legal advisors eager to understand how recent legal developments impact offshore teams—and learn practical strategies to manage risks effectively.
Uniting Legal Insight with Operational Expertise
Justin Le Blond, Employment & Safety Partner at Dentons, and Lloyd Ernst, CEO and Founder of Cloudstaff, led a 45-minute discussion on Fair Work compliance, risk mitigation, and managing offshore workforces. The session was moderated by Alison Newman, Chief People Officer at Cloudstaff, guiding the conversation and audience Q&A.
Understanding Australia’s Changing Legal Environment
The webinar highlighted key developments in Australian employment law, including rulings confirming that direct contractors can be treated as employees based on control and integration—potentially exposing businesses to unfair dismissal claims and back pay. Le Blond emphasized: “There’s no carve-outs. The entirety of the Fair Work legislation and its regulations apply if you contract directly, regardless of your offshore team member’s location.” He also explained that retroactive liabilities can extend up to six years for certain claims, reinforcing the importance of clear contracts and well-defined employer control to minimise legal risk.
Why Cloudstaff’s Approach Matters
Cloudstaff’s virtual staffing model provides Australian companies with a robust alternative to direct contracting by employing offshore staff full-time, ensuring regulatory compliance and reducing potential liabilities.
Ernst explained how this model distinguishes Cloudstaff: “Cloudstaff is not a BPO or call center—our customers see us as an extension of their department, accountable to the same standards as their domestic teams.” Newman added insight on tax and compliance aspects: “Because Cloudstaff employees are based in the Philippines and paid in local currency, the Fair Work Act does not apply.” This structure frees businesses to concentrate confidently on their core operations, knowing compliance and employment obligations are expertly managed.
Cloudstaff’s Lift and Shift program further supports organisations in transitioning freelancers to secure employee status, preserving valuable talent and addressing employment and taxation risks effectively.
Practical Steps for Managing Offshore Risks
During the webinar Q&A, attendees raised questions on key offshore staffing challenges—how the Fair Work Act applies to offshore staff, minimum wage obligations, data security, and the role of intermediaries in managing employment risk. Interactive polls confirmed that compliance and data protection were top priorities, with strong interest in staffing partner models that provide clear legal guidance.
Speakers highlighted practical strategies, from the importance of clear, well-structured contracts to partnering with experts who manage compliance and employee oversight. Le Blond underscored the value of these sessions: “Webinars such as this are a matter of education. It’s about making sure that people are informed and aware of these growing legal trends.”
Turning Insights into Action
As offshore staffing becomes a strategic driver of business growth, partnering with experienced providers like Cloudstaff enables companies to tap into global talent with confidence, security, and efficiency.
Newman reflected on the discussion: “The legal landscape is most definitely changing, bringing new risks that need to be managed. Using an offshoring company to help navigate those risks is certainly an option, while direct contracting can expose you to hidden employment and tax liabilities.”
Her closing left attendees with a clear message: businesses that stay informed and partner with trusted offshoring experts can manage risk while turning global talent into a powerful growth advantage.
About Dentons
Dentons is designed to be different. As part of the world’s largest global law firm, with 20,000 professionals across more than 200 locations in over 80 countries. We measure our success by the service we provide, helping our clients to get a deal done or dispute resolved no matter where they do business. The firm’s global reach and “follow the sun” capability make it a trusted advisor for cross-border transactions, offering seamless legal support across jurisdictions In Australia, with more than 80 partners and 500 people, we deliver full-service legal solutions to clients across financial institutions, real estate, consumer products and services, technology, media & telecommunications, energy, and mining & resources nationally. Redefining possibilities. Together, everywhere. www.dentons.com.
About Cloudstaff
Cloudstaff is pioneering virtual staffing solutions that combine ethical outsourcing with enterprise-grade people tech. They connect businesses embarking on remarkable growth with the world’s top talent from their pool of nearly one million professionals. Brilliant careers for future teams are underpinned by unique investments in community and training, while client experiences are boosted with productivity apps, passionate support, and a vision for an AI-augmented future of work. With 21 delivery centers across the Philippines, India, Colombia, and Kenya, 79 work-from-home cities supported, and client operations in the US, Australia, and UK, they are helping businesses around the globe find staff for over 150 roles. Businesses looking for professional services staffing partners that are more than just an Employer of Record (EOR) or compliance service can discover why they choose Cloudstaff at www.cloudstaff.com.
Media Contact:
Beth Woods
VP-Marketing
+63 2 8672 7864
marketing-notices@cloudstaff.com
Ready to tackle offshore staffing risks with confidence? Read the full article: https://www.cloudstaff.com/blog/news/navigating-offshore-staffing-risks-in-a-changing-australian-legal-landscape/