What to do about issues at work

Different organisations can assist workers in different ways. Some organisations, like the Employee Ombudsman, can only provide you with advice.  Young Workers Legal Service can act on your behalf, providing you with legal advice and support. Others, like the Fair Work Ombudsman and SafeWork SA, can investigate workplace issues and ensure an employer is doing the right thing.

• Employee Ombudsman – Give advice and info to workers about workplace matters.
• Fair Work Australia - Give advice to workers and employers on their workplace rights and obligations and investigate complaints about workplace laws.
• Office of the Training Advocate – Help with questions or concerns about the training system.
• SafeWork SA – Look after Occupational Health Safety & Welfare in SA and also provide workers and employers advice on other employment matters.
• Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST) Traineeship and Apprenticeship Services – Manages SA’s traineeship and apprenticeship system.
• Young Workers Legal Service – Provide advocacy and representation for workers under the age of 30.
• SafeWork SA - Youth@Work – Provides information about safety and entitlements, case studies and interactive games for young workers.

Find out more about common things that go wrong in the workplace:

• Not giving you proper records. You should always get a pay slip showing basic information, e.g., rate of pay, tax and name of award or agreement. You should also get a group certificate for your tax. Find out more about pay slips from Fair Work Online.
• No training contract. If you are an apprentice or trainee you must sign a ‘training contract’ which is a formal agreement about your rights and responsibilities during an apprenticeship or traineeship. More information from the DFEEST website.
• Underpayment of wages. You can find out your correct rate of pay by going to the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
• Injury at work. To report and claim compensation, contact WorkCover.
• Unfair dismissal. If you were illegally sacked, you may be entitled to get your job back or to be paid compensation. Find out more from Fair Work Online.
• Discrimination or sexual harassment, contact us.

If you need some extra support, there are many services for young people available. Some of these are listed below.