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Coronavirus (COVID-19) information
The Fair Work Commission’s ongoing focus is to ensure a safe environment for our clients and staff so we can continue to deliver services to the community.
Our counters in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney are closed, but we’re still operating. Please do not attend these offices unless a Commission Member specifically requests you to.
Find out more: Coronavirus (COVID-19) information
Have you come to the right place?
If your enquiry relates to the topics below, the following external organisations can help:
- for award coverage, pay, leave and other entitlements please contact the Fair Work Ombudsman
- for tax (individuals and business) and superannuation please contact the Australian Taxation Office
- for workplace health and safety please contact Safework Australia.
Services that may be able to offer legal help can be found on the Where to get legal help page.
How can we help you?
Unfair dismissal
Sexual harasment at work
General protections
Bullying at work
Agreements
Small business assistance
Submit an online enquiry
Submit an online enquiry or find out more by clicking on the topics below
Wages & entitlements
You will need to contact the Fair Work Ombudsman. They can provide you with information about:
- notice and termination payments, including severance pay
- wages, including the underpayment or non-payment of wages
- penalty rates and overtime
- other entitlements such as leave, breaks and public holidays
- award and agreement coverage, and
- payslips and other employment records.
You can visit their website at www.fairwork.gov.au.
The Fair Work Ombudsman is a separate organisation from the Fair Work Commission.
Before you send your email enquiry
Unfair dismissal
An unfair dismissal is a dismissal that is 'harsh, unjust or unreasonable'.
You might find the answer to your question on this website.
Go to:
General protections dismissal
The general protections aim to protect workplace rights and freedom of association and to provide protection from workplace discrimination.
You might find the answer to your question on this website.
Unlawful termination
An employee who has been dismissed because of discrimination but who is not a national system employee may be able to make an unlawful termination application.
You might find the answer to your question on this website.
- Go to: Unlawful termination
If you're not sure which application to make
You can only make one application to the Fair Work Commission about your dismissal.
Commission staff cannot give you advice about whether or not you can or should make an application, and cannot tell you how best to run your case. You will need to seek independent advice.
Services that may be able to offer legal help can be found on the Where to get legal advice page.
The law institute or law society in your state or territory may be able to refer you to a private solicitor.
Before you send your email enquiry
Application fee
The application for fee for a dismissal application (unfair dismissal, general protections dismissal, unlawful termination) is $74.90.
If the fee will cause you financial hardship, you can apply to have the fee waived.
Download
Lodge your waiver form by email, facsimile, post or in person at one of the Fair Work Commission's offices. All contact details can be found on the Commission offices page.
Time limit for lodging
The time limit for lodging an unfair dismissal application or a general protections dismissal application is 21 days after the date the dismissal took effect.
The time limit for lodging an unlawful termination application is 21 days after the date the dismissal took effect.
The Fair Work Commission may allow an extension of time for the lodgment of the application if satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances.
Commission staff cannot give you advice about whether or not your circumstances would be considered exceptional. You will need to seek independent advice.
Services that may be able to offer legal help can be found on the Where to get legal advice page.
The law institute or law society in your state or territory may be able to refer you to a private solicitor.
Where to send my dismissal application
Lodge your application form by email, facsimile, post or in person at one of the Fair Work Commission's offices. All contact details can be found on the Commission offices page.
In limited circumstances, you can apply over the phone on 1300 799 675.
Before you send your email enquiry
You might find the answer to your question about an unfair dismissal application that is currently at the Fair Work Commission on our website.
The Fair Work Commission does not have any power to require an employer to provide an employee with a separation certificate.
For assistance obtaining a separation certificate from your employer, or to find out when you're required to provide one to a former employee, you will need to contact Centrelink on 132 850.
Before you send your email enquiry
You can lodge an application through email, post, fax, or in person. Find out more on our lodge an application page.
Before you send your email enquiry
From 1 January 2014 onwards, workers in Australia who reasonably believe they have been the subject of bullying conduct at work may apply to the Fair Work Commission for an order to stop the bullying.
For more information you can visit our Anti-bullying page which contains an eligibility quiz, guide, benchbook, and more. You can also find out how to lodge an application for an order to stop bullying.
Still at the workplace where the alleged bullying took place?
The Commission can only make an order to stop bullying at the work where there is risk that the bullying will continue. Orders cannot be made when the worker is no longer exposed the alleged bullying, including if the worker is no longer engaged with the workplace where they allege the bullying occurred.
Role of the Commission
The Commission will assist the parties to explore whether a solution can be reached to preserve the working relationship in order to return to a safe, harmonious and productive working environment.
Before you send your email enquiry
Finding Commission decisions
Before you send your email enquiry
Unfair dismissal applications
To confirm your contact details or seek an adjournment for an upcoming unfair dismissal conciliation, please contact the Conciliation Support Team: udt@fwc.gov.au.
General protection applications involving dismissal
To confirm your contact details or seek an adjournment for an upcoming General Protections conciliation, please contact the General Protections Case Management Team: gpt@fwc.gov.au.
Agreement approval applications
To get specialised support about the bargaining process and making an agreement, or follow up on an agreement in progress, please contact the Agreements Team: member.assist@fwc.gov.au.
Award modernisation
For enquiries about the current modern award review process, please contact the Award Modernisation Team: amod@fwc.gov.au.
Before you send your email enquiry
General protections disputes
The general protections aim to protect workplace rights and freedom of association and to provide protection from workplace discrimination.
You might find the answer to your question about general protections disputes on our website.
Enterprise bargaining disputes
You can ask the Fair Work Commission for help while you are negotiating a new enterprise agreement. You, as a bargaining representative, could do this if you are unable to resolve a dispute about the terms of the proposed enterprise agreement.
You might find the answer to your question about enterprise bargaining disputes on our website.
- Go to: Bargaining disputes
Disputes under awards or agreements
If you have a question about a dispute over the clauses contained in your existing award or enterprise agreement, you might find the answer to your question on our website.
Disputes over right of entry
The Fair Work Act 2009 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 enable union officials to enter workplaces for specified purposes.
You might find the answer to your question about right of entry on our website.
Before you send your email enquiry
The Fair Work Commission is responsible for setting minimum wages for employees in the national workplace relations system.
You might find the answer to your question about the annual wage review on our website.
- Go to: The current annual wage review including research, submissions, notices of listing, and decisions and statements
Before you send your email enquiry
Industrial action can take a variety of forms. For example, employees may go on strike or impose work bans. Employers may lock out their employees.
You might find the answer to your question about industrial action on our website.
Before you send your email enquiry
The Fair Work Act 2009 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 enable union officials to enter workplaces for specified purposes.
You might find the answer to your question about right of entry on our website.
I want to find information about other topics
Please visit Fair Work Commission's website or contact on 1300 799 675.
Legal advice
Services that may be able to offer legal help can be found on the Where to get legal advice page.
Support & counselling services
| Service | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|
|
Beyond Blue |
1300 224 636 |
|
|
Lifeline |
13 11 14 |
|
|
Mensline Australia |
1300 789 978 |
|
|
SANE |
1800 187 623 |
|
|
The Suicide Call Back Service |
1300 659 467 |
Still not sure? Submit your question
Enquiries
Contact methods
Fair Work Commission staff cannot provide legal advice or answer questions relating to wages and employment entitlements. Before contacting the Commission you may wish to check the information above which could help with your enquiry.
Call us
| Phone number | Operating hours |
|---|---|
|
1300 799 675 within Australia |
between 9am and 5pm (local time) Monday to Friday |
|
+61 3 9063 7402 overseas |
between 9 am and 5pm (AEST/AEDT) Monday to Friday Note: calls to this number will be charged at the international rate your service provider charges for these types of calls. |
Calls are generally answered within 10 minutes. Longer wait times may apply during peak periods.
Lodge an application
You can lodge an application by downloading the relevant Form and submitting it to your local Commission office by email or fax.
Applications for approval of an enterprise agreement (other than a greenfields agreement) can be lodged online using our new online agreement application form. We will be adding other application types to the new online application service progressively over the next months.
Write, visit or email us
The Fair Work Commission has offices in all capital cities and some regional areas where you can write, visit or email us.
For further information, click on the state or territory from the following list:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northen Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
Out of hours applications
Please note if your call relates to unfair dismissal, general protections or anti-bullying, these calls can only be answered by our Helpline which is available between 9am and 5pm (AEDST), Monday to Friday on 1300 799 675.
For urgent industrial action applications outside business hours, please refer to our Commission offices page for emergency contact details.
Accessibility & language
For information about:
- accessibility
- help for hearing, sight or speech impairment, and
- language assistance
please go to our Accessibility page.
News & media
For information about:
- media enquiries
- information for media respresentatives
- camera and recording guidelines
Please go to our News & media page.
Feedback
To provide feedback on:
- services, staff and processes
- Commission Members
Please go to our Complaints & feedback page.
Updated time
Last updated
12 November 2021
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