Legal advice from the Workplace Advice Service

Introduction

The Commission's Workplace Advice Service organises free legal help for employees and employers that qualify.

You may be able to speak with a lawyer if an appointment is available.

The service is only for employment issues that involve:

dismissal
general protections
bullying at work
sexual harassment at work.

Note: Lawyers who give legal advice through the Workplace Advice Service work for organisations that have an agreement with us. We do not pay these organisations to partner with us. They are independent businesses or services that volunteer their time.

Who can use the service

Employees

To be eligible for help, you must:

not have a lawyer or paid agent
not be a member of a union
have an enquiry or issue about dismissal, general protections, workplace bullying or sexual harassment at work.

Small business employers

To be eligible for help, you must:

have less than 15 employees (which means the Fair Work Act 2009 defines you as a small business)
not have in-house legal, workplace relations or human resources staff
not have a lawyer or paid agent
not be a member of an employer association
have an enquiry or issue about dismissal, general protections, workplace bullying or sexual harassment at work.

Note:

Using this service is not the same as starting an application with the Commission.

Some of our applications have strict deadlines. If you need help before a deadline, or are not eligible, look up where to find legal help.

How the service works

Step 1: Check if you may be eligible

The Workplace Advice Service will be closed over the 2024-25 end of year period
The service will be closed from Monday 9 December 2024 and will reopen on Wednesday 8 January 2025.
The last requests for advice for 2024 will be accepted on Sunday 8 December 2024.

If you need assistance, legal help from other organisations may be available. 

Please note: You only have 21 days from the date of dismissal to lodge an unfair dismissal or general protections dismissal application.

Step 2: Complete the request form

If you're eligible, you will be able to submit a request.

Step 3: Make your appointment

We will then either:

organise an appointment for you
put you in touch with a lawyer so they can make an appointment for you.

Your appointment may take place by phone or in person.

Note: Sometimes appointments are not available due to high demand. We will tell you if this happens and suggest who else you can ask for help.

Step 4: Attend your appointment

Appointments generally go for one hour.

During the appointment, the lawyer will listen to what you have to say. They might ask you some questions to better understand the situation.

The lawyer may then offer advice on:

what issues are likely to come up at a Commission proceeding
whether your issue or enquiry is likely to succeed if you decide to pursue it.

Partner organisations

3D HR Legal
Arnold Bloch Leibler
Ashurst
Australian Business Lawyers
Australian Workplace Lawyers
Badgery & Rafferty
Barry Nilsson Lawyers
Bartier Perry
Basic Rights Qld IncBatch Mewing Lawyers
Bowden McCormack Lawyers + Advisers
Boylan Lawyers
Chris Jensen - Barrister – Victorian Bar
Circle Green Community Legal (WA)
Colquhoun Murphy Lawyers
Coutts Lawyers
De Silva Hebron Barristers & Solicitors
Deakin Law Clinic
Denton's Australia Ltd
EI Legal Pty Ltd
FCB Workplace Law (NSW)
FCB Workplace Law (QLD)
FCB Workplace Law (VIC)
FGW Law
Griffin Legal
Hennings Lawyers
HHG Legal Group
Hobart Community Legal Centre
Holding Redlich
Holding Redlich (VIC)
Holman Webb (NSW)
HR Legal
HWL Ebsworth
IRIQ Law
Jewell Hancock Employment Lawyers
JobWatch
JusticeNet SA
Kelly Workplace Lawyers
Kennedys (Australasia) NSW
Kingsford Legal Centre
Lander and Co
Langtree Legal Pty Ltd
Launceston Community Legal Centre
Lawfield
Legal Aid ACT
Legal Aid New South Wales
Longton Legal
Mackay Regional Community Legal Centre Inc.
Mare Lawyers Workwise Advisory Services
Marrickville Legal Centre
McCullough Robertson
MDC Legal
Michael Law Group
Mills Oakley (ACT)
Mills Oakley (WA)
MinterEllison
MJT Law
Moloney & Partners
Moray & Agnew Lawyers
Mullins Lawyers
Murdoch Clarke
Nadia Stojanova - Barrister – Victorian Bar
Namadgi Legal
NB Lawyers - Lawyers for Employers
North West Community Legal Centre
Norton Rose Fulbright
NRA Legal
Paul Crawford Law
Simmons Wolfhagen Lawyers
Sladen Legal
South-East Monash Legal Service
South West Sydney Legal Centre
Sparke Helmore Lawyers (VIC)
Tailored Legal
Uniting Communities Law Centre SA
Victoria Legal Aid
Westjustice
WGC Lawyers
Wise Law
WK Lawyers
Women's Legal Services NSW
Wotton & Kearney
Young Workers’ Rights Service (of Youth Law Australia)