LEGAL AID NSW - Employment Law
Services
Who we are
The Employment Law Service is a specialist service of Legal Aid NSW. We provide
free legal advice, assistance and representation for workers with employment law
problems. We will be providing outreach legal advice clinics in 2014 at Coffs Harbour
on the following dates, at which we can provide face to face or telephone advice to
clients as described below:
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Thursday 16 January 2014
Thursday 20 February 2014
Thursday 20 March 2014
Thursday 24 April 2014
Who we can help
We can help all types of workers, including:
 full time workers
 part time workers
 casual workers
 government workers
 young workers
 contractors
 workers on visas
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How we can help
We give advice about many types of employment law problems, involving:
 wages and entitlements
 leave
 superannuation
 dismissal
 redundancy
 discrimination
 issues affecting contractors
Important information about workplace injuries and safety
Legal Aid NSW does not give advice on workplace injury matters. If you need this type
of advice you should contact a private practice solicitor as soon as possible. Time limits
apply to workers compensation claims - this means that you must get advice quickly.
Contact details for private solicitors can be obtained from the Law Society of NSW
www.lawsociety.com.au or call 02 9926 0333.
If you have concerns about health and safety in your workplace you can contact
WorkCover NSW www.workcover.nsw.gov.au or call 13 10 50.
You can also call LawAccess on 1300 888 529 for information and referrals about
workplace injuries.
Representation
We can provide representation in employment law legal proceedings in the Fair Work
Commission and the Courts for workers who are eligible for legal aid. There is also a
great self help site available at the following Law Assist link:
www.lawassist.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/lawassist/lawassist_employmentrights.html
How to get help
We provide employment law advice in our offices that provide civil law advice
throughout NSW contact .
You should call first to check that we can help you and make an appointment if
necessary.
I
f you are not sure which office to contact call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529.
Do you need advice?
If you need employment law advice you can contact LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529
or book an appointment on 6651 7899 with the Employment Law solicitor providing free
legal clinics from the Coffs Harbour Office in person or by telephone on the following
dates:-
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Thursday 16 January 2014
Thursday 20 February 2014
Thursday 20 March 2014
Thursday 24 April 2014
Education
We give seminars on areas of employment law for groups of workers, community
organisations and community workers. If you would like us to give a seminar, please
contact the Community Legal Education team: cle@legalaid.nsw.gov.au. Please advise
your CLSD co-ordinator if you would like to receive education in an employment law
area.
Other employment law information
You can find employment law related information on the LawAccess website
www.lawassist.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/lawassist/lawassist_employmentrights.html
Do you need information about wages and entitlements?
Information about wages, entitlements and workplace rights is available from the Fair
Workplace Ombudsman www.fwo.gov.au
You can complain to the Fair Workplace Ombudsman about breaches of workplace
laws or the failure to pay legal wages and entitlements.
Are you a member of a Union?
If you are having problems in your workplace and you are a member of a Union, you
should seek help from your Union before contacting Legal Aid NSW. For more
information about Unions and Union membership contact Unions NSW.
Important information about dismissals
If you think you have been unfairly dismissed you can make a claim with the Fair Work
Commission, www.fwc.gov.au You must make your claim within 21 days of dismissal.
If you think that your dismissal was discriminatory or happened because you raised your
workplace rights you can also make a claim with Fair Work Commission
www.fwc.gov.au. You must make your claim within 21 days of dismissal.
You may not be able to obtain an appointment with Legal Aid NSW before these time
limits expire.
For more information you can contact Fair Work Commission www.fwc.gov.au
NEW YEAR & CHRISTMAS DEBT: WHAT
TO DO?
If you have clients suffering debt, ie credit card debt, energy debts, telephone debts
which all seem to compound after Christmas and New Year, what to do – well a great
free option available is to seek financial counselling, however if the debts are more
complex or you feel that there is an unlawful component free legal assistance is also
available.
Financial counselling is a free community service provided by financial counsellors
working in non-profit organisations that assist consumers who are experiencing financial
problems. A financial counsellor is a worker who acts without a conflict of interest, as a
negotiator and an advocate on behalf of people who are at financial risk. Financial
counsellors, during the counselling process are able to educate and pass on skills to
consumers as to their rights and responsibilities when using credit and other
marketplace services and empower the consumer through this knowledge. Financial
counselling is a unique type of service, merging a number of skills into a personalised
“counselling” situation. The counsellor treats the concerns of the consumer in a holistic
manner, viewing the social and health issues alongside the financial problems and
assisting with appropriate referrals.
Financial counsellors have knowledge of para-legal issues however, they are not legally
qualified to give advice on legal matters.
Financial counsellors work closely with community organisations and have a highly
developed referral network. Consumers in crisis who require food vouchers, assistance
with electricity and water payments, personal counselling for family issues, legal advice
and mental health services will be appropriately referred.
Financial counselling goes further than the crisis intervention model, as the role of
financial counselling is that of social justice, where the problems of consumers are
perceived as social problems. The role of the financial counsellor is to affirm the rights
and dignity of the individual. Financial counsellors do not view the individual’s problems
in isolation but work towards changing attitudes, laws and institutions so that the
individual consumer in society has more equal rights and powers within the market
place.
Financial counsellors in New South Wales are accredited with the Financial
Counsellors’ Association of NSW Inc (FCAN). There are strict rules as to who may be a
financial counsellor, primarily that financial counsellors hold no allegiance to the credit
industry and act solely out of interest for the well-being of the consumer. Only financial
counsellors who are not funded by, or employed by, credit providers are eligible for
membership. Service provision must also be free of charge. Financial counsellors must
have successfully completed an accredited training program and continue to attend a
specified amount of training each year. Financial counsellors must also have regular
supervision from an FCAN accredited supervisor and must be covered by a professional
indemnity insurance policy.
As well as supporting and educating the client in various forms, a financial counsellor
can provide the following for their clients:

A full assessment of their financial situation, including regular income and
expenditure, assets and liabilities.
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Information as to entitlements to government forms of assistance.
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Information and options for change and improvement.
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The ability to negotiate on behalf of the client with credit providers, government
agencies and other business providers.
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Information on credit laws, the debt recovery process, bankruptcy and other
areas of legislation such as superannuation, insurance and harassment to name
a few.
Financial counselling is a worthwhile and valuable community service that is able to
empower and assist clients to gain control of their financial situation.
Mid North Coast Financial Counselling Service provides free
financial counselling in the Kempsey, Nambucca, Macksville.
Appointments can be made by ringing 1300 662 540.
Indigenous financial counsellors are available on request.
For more complex matters you can contact any of the following free legal services for
advice (available on various days in various locations):-
 LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529
 In Kempsey, Mid North Coast Community Legal Centre
on 6580 2111
 In Kempsey, Nambucca and Macksville Legal Aid NSW
on 6651 7899