This Part contains the National Employment Standards.

Division 2 identifies the National Employment Standards, the detail of which is set out in Divisions 3 to 12.

Division 13 contains miscellaneous provisions relating to the National Employment Standards.

The National Employment Standards are minimum standards that apply to the employment of national system employees. Part 2‑1 (which deals with the core provisions for this Chapter) contains the obligation for employers to comply with the National Employment Standards (see section 44).

The National Employment Standards also underpin what can be included in modern awards and enterprise agreements. Part 2‑1 provides that the National Employment Standards cannot be excluded by modern awards or enterprise agreements, and contains other provisions about the interaction between the National Employment Standards and modern awards or enterprise agreements (see sections 55 and 56).

Divisions 2 and 3 of Part 6‑3 extend the operation of the parental leave and notice of termination provisions of the National Employment Standards to employees who are not national system employees.