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Fair Work Commission

Australia's national workplace relations tribunal
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On this page

  • Have you come to the right place?
  • How can we help you?
  • Submit an online enquiry
  • Contact methods
  • Accessibility & language
  • News & media
  • Feedback

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 advice page.

How can we help you?

Unfair dismissal

  • what is an unfair dismissal?
  • am I eligible to apply?
  • who can apply
  • lodge an online application

General protections

  • what are general protections?
  • am I eligible to apply?
  • who do general protections laws apply to?
  • lodge an online application

Anti-bullying

  • what is bullying at work?
  • am I eligible to apply?
  • what is reasonable management action?
  • lodge an online application

Agreements

  • how to make an enterprise agreement
  • how to vary an enterprise agreement
  • how to terminate an enterprise agreement
  • lodge an online application

Small business assistance

  • defining a small business
  • small business fair dismissal code
  • responding to an application
  • minimum wages & conditions

Contact methods

  • call us
  • lodge an online application
  • write, visit or email us at one of our Commission offices

Submit an online enquiry

Submit an online enquiry or find out more by clicking on the topics below

  • Agreements
  • Awards
  • Bullying in the workplace
  • Current matters
  • Dismissals
  • Finding Commission decisions
  • How to lodge an application
  • Registered organisations
  • Where to get help
  • Workplace disputes
  • Other

I want to find

  • what I should be paid on dismissal, or how much notice I should get
  • the different types of applications I can make to argue against my dismissal
  • the application fee, the time limit for lodging my application, or where to send my dismissal application
  • an unfair dismissal application that is currently at the Commission
  • information about separation certificates

Enquiries submitted via our website are generally answered within 3 working days. If your enquiry relates to dismissals, your application must be filed with the Commission within 21 calendar days after your dismissal took effect.

About agreements

A function of the Fair Work Commission is to facilitate good faith bargaining and enterprise agreement making.

To view a list of applications for approval of an enterprise agreement currently being considered:

  • Go to: agreements in progress

For information about bargaining for an new enterprise agreement, including representation of rights:

  • Go to: enterprise bargaining

The Commission cannot answer questions relating to agreement coverage, pay, leave, and other entitlements. For these enquiries, please contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94, or visit their at www.fairwork.gov.au.

Finding awards

You can search for awards by using the search function on our website:

  • Go to: Find an award

Modern awards cover a whole industry or occupation, and provide a safety net of minimum pay rates and employment conditions. Awards are used as the benchmark for assessing enterprise agreements before approval.

  • Go to: Modern awards list

The Commission cannot answer questions relating to award coverage, pay, leave, and other entitlements. For these enquiries, please contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94, or visit their at www.fairwork.gov.au.

I want to find

  • the Fair Work Commision’s role
  • what is a registered organisation?
  • why become a registered organisation?
  • recognised state-registered associations

I want to find information about

  • the Annual wage review
  • industrial action
  • right of entry
  • other

The Commission cannot answer questions relating to award coverage, pay, leave, and other entitlements. For these enquiries, please contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94, or visit their at www.fairwork.gov.au.

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:

  • Termination of employment
  • Quick quiz: Am I eligible to make an application for unfair dismissal?
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.

  • Go to: What are general protections?
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.

You can find a community legal centre in your area at the National Association of Community Legal Centres.

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 $71.90.

If the fee will cause you financial hardship, you can apply to have the fee waived.

Download

  • Form F80: Waiver of application fee

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.

  • Go to: Can an application be lodged after the time limit has expired?

Commission staff cannot give you advice about whether or not your circumstances would be considered exceptional. You will need to seek independent advice.

You can find a community legal centre in your area at the National Association of Community Legal Centres.

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.

You can also apply electronically through the Commission's Online Lodgment Service.

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.

Go to:

  • Preparing for hearings & conferences
  • Responding to an application (employer)
  • Objecting to an application (employer)
  • What happens at a conciliation?
  • What happens at hearings and conferences

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

Initial applications can be lodged online using our Online Lodgment Service.

You can also 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
  • find decisions and orders issued after 1 July 2013
  • find decisions and orders issued prior to 1 July 2013
  • find an agreement
  • find an award
  • search Commission documents
  • subscribe to updates

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.

  • Go to: What are the general protections?
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.

  • Go to: Disputes under awards and agreements
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.

Go to:

  • What is right of entry?
  • Find an entry permit holder

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.

Go to:

  • Taking, suspending or stopping industrial action
  • Ballot results

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.

Go to:

  • What is right of entry?
  • Find an entry permit holder

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

www.beyondblue.org.au

Lifeline

13 11 14

www.lifeline.org.au

Mensline Australia

1300 789 978

www.mensline.org.au

SANE

1800 187 623

www.sane.org

The Suicide Call Back Service

1300 659 467

www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au

 

Still not sure? Submit your question

Enquiries

Contact details

Reset topics

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

+61 293 081 808   

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 online application

You can lodge an application online at any time using our Online Lodgment Service.

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

07 February 2019

 

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