If you lose your job
This is a guide for people in NSW who have lost their job. It has information on your rights at work, ways to upskill and retrain, where to search for work, as well as getting help with costs and other support services.
This is a guide for people in NSW who have lost their job. It has information on your rights at work, ways to upskill and retrain, where to search for work, as well as getting help with costs and other support services.
Dự đoán xổ sốNot all employees receive notice of their job ending or are entitled to redundancy pay.
Check your award, enterprise agreement or employment contract and any workplace policies to learn more.
An employment contract or workplace policy cannot provide less than the , or any award or enterprise agreement that applies.
Dự đoán xổ sốBefore any major changes happen in a workplace, including redundancies, employers should consult with any employees who may be affected. This will usually involve:
Dự đoán xổ sốNot all workers are entitled to a notice period. These include:
Dự đoán xổ sốWhen employment ends for full and part-time workers, employers generally need to provide at least the minimum amount of notice as outlined in the award, enterprise agreement or employment contract.
Dự đoán xổ sốIn most situations, this is based on how long they have worked with that employer.
If eligible employees are not given proper notice, an employer still has to pay for that notice period, even if the employee is no longer working there. This is called payment in lieu of notice.
Redundancy is when an employer doesn’t need an employee’s job to be done by anyone, or if the employer becomes insolvent or bankrupt.
Dự đoán xổ sốThe amount of redundancy, or severance, pay an employee gets is usually based on their period of continuous service with their employer, excluding any unpaid leave.
An employee's final pay must be paid within 7 days of their employment ending, and generally includes:
But not everyone is eligible for redundancy pay if they lose their job, including:
Learn more about at the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Dự đoán xổ sốAny claim for an unfair dismissal needs to be submitted within 21 days of a dismissal taking effect
Unfair dismissal is when an employee is dismissed from their job in a harsh, an unjust or an unreasonable manner.
Dự đoán xổ sốThe Fair Work Act protects eligible employees from losing their job in a range of circumstances, including:
Dự đoán xổ sốYou may be able to make an unfair dismissal claim at the Fair Work Commission if you:
Before submitting a claim, you should:
Other than a claim for unfair dismissal, a dismissed employee may be eligible to claim for other workplace rights including protection from:
Dự đoán xổ sốNSW public sector and local government employees are not protected from unfair dismissal by the Fair Work Act.
Instead, they may be protected by the NSW Industrial Relations Act, where any claims are held before the .
Any claims for unfair dismissal, whether in the Fair Work Commission or the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, need to be submitted within 21 days of a dismissal taking effect.
Dự đoán xổ sốIf you're unsure whether you're eligible to commence any of these claims, you should seek legal advice. See the Legal and support services section below for more information.
Dự đoán xổ sốMigrant workers, including as well as have the same rights and protections as all other employees under Australian workplace and immigration laws.
If you need help with employment issues related to your visa status, pay or other entitlements, visit the for more information.
The Australian Government has made a number of changes to several visa categories as a result of coronavirus.
One change relates to possible extensions for certain visa holders employed in critical sectors, including health, aged care or agriculture.
Another change allows businesses to reduce the hours of 482 and 457 visa holders without:
A business is insolvent if it can't pay its debts. An insolvent business may go into liquidation, or the owner of that business may declare bankruptcy.
Dự đoán xổ sốIf this happens, your employer may not have the money to pay you the wages and entitlements you’re owed.
If eligible, you can make a claim to the Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG) scheme for payment of some of your entitlements, including:
Dự đoán xổ sốThe FEG scheme does not cover:
Contact the if you’re owed any superannuation.
If the business isn't in liquidation but your employer has abandoned it without paying what you're owed, you can apply to the for help to recover any unpaid entitlements.
Dự đoán xổ sốIf you lost your job as a result of coronavirus, you may be entitled to a range of specific government payments.
To find out more, see the Get financial support section in If your job has been affected by coronavirus.
If you’re unemployed, or not in full-time work, you may be able to get the JobSeeker payment.
Eligibility requirements depend on your situation. As a minimum, these 3 conditions need to be met:
Additional criteria and exemptions may apply, including if you're now caring for someone affected by coronavirus.
Dự đoán xổ sốThe Australian Government provides a range of additional financial help and support services you may be eligible for if you've lost your job and are looking for work. These include:
Additionally, there are specific services and support programs to find and maintain employment for:
You may be able to access your superannuation early if you're experiencing financial hardship after losing your job. Certain eligibility requirements need to be met.
Dự đoán xổ sốHow you apply and who you should contact depends on the reasons you need to access it.
In this situation you may be able to withdraw up to $20,000 from your super balance. This capped amount is split between 2 separate $10,000 withdrawals.
The first application for up to $10,000 needed to be made before 30 June 2020. The second application can be made between 1 July and 31 December 2020.
For Australian and New Zealand permanent residents and citizens to qualify:
Other rules and eligibility criteria apply to some temporary resident visa holders.
If you need financial help, talk to a or call the on 1800 007 007
Dự đoán xổ sốBudgeting is a practical way to see where you spend your money, and can help to:
Dự đoán xổ sốMoneysmart also has tips and guidance to help you when:
Dự đoán xổ sốSome energy providers are extending payment periods for customers who've been financially affected by coronavirus.
Dự đoán xổ sốTalk to your energy company about options if you’re having trouble paying your bill.
Dự đoán xổ sốDepending on your eligibility, there are rebates available in some situations for:
Most banks and other creditors have policies to help customers experiencing financial hardship.
If you find yourself in this situation after losing your job, contact your lender or credit provider to discuss options as a first step.
Dự đoán xổ sốIf you have more than one unsecured loan, like a personal loan and credit card debt, one possibility is to consolidate (or refinance) them into a single loan.
This could make it easier to manage repayments as long as you ensure the new interest rate or fees are lower than before.
To make changes to any home loan repayments, you can apply for a hardship variation. This is a letter you submit to your lender that sets out reasons for wanting to:
To apply for a hardship variation, contact your bank or lender to find out what's required.
In this situation, many banks and non-bank lenders have announced measures to support eligible customers who may fall behind on their home loan repayments. These include:
To work out the best option for you, get in touch with your lender to find out what they offer and how to apply.
FIS is a free, confidential service provided by the Australian Government where financial experts can help you plan for your future financial needs.
They are not licensed advisers. What they can do is help you make more informed financial decisions, including:
Good Shepherd is a faith based, microfinance organisation that works with communities across Australia to improve the economic wellbeing of people on low incomes.
Dự đoán xổ sốIts services include no-interest loans (up to $1,500) and affordable low interest loans (between $800 and $3,000) to cover expenses such as:
Dự đoán xổ sốEligibility requirements apply.
Dự đoán xổ sốThere is a wide range of courses and training programs available to help people boost their chances of getting a job, including:
What’s Next? is run by the Australian Government and helps you decide what to do after you've lost your job or are looking to start a new career. It follows a 3-step process:
Dự đoán xổ sốSmart and Skilled aims to help people in NSW get the expertise they need to find a job, and advance or change their careers.
Dự đoán xổ sốThe training courses were developed by industry, community and job market experts, and cover many workplace sectors in NSW. Eligible students can receive:
Dự đoán xổ sốEligible students pay only a portion of the training cost. Fee exemptions and concessions are also available for disadvantaged students.
VET partners with industry and government to provide people with workplace skills and technical knowledge to advance or change their careers, effectively offering a pathway to around 500 occupations.
Dự đoán xổ sốWith an emphasis on hands-on experience, courses concentrate on those occupational skills and competencies that employers increasingly demand.
Vocational Education and Training covers 8 of the 10 occupations predicted to have high jobs growth over the next few years. These include:
Dự đoán xổ sốIn addition to short courses, plus fee-free traineeships and apprenticeships, VET's qualifications range across Certificate I, II, III and IV, as well as Diploma courses and Advanced Diploma courses.
Dự đoán xổ sốSkills Match is an interactive online tool from Job Outlook. It helps identify how your existing skills can be transferred to new employment options.
First, you enter jobs you’ve held, including any unpaid work. Then:
In addition to its regular courses, TAFE NSW has developed a number of free online courses that can generally be completed in just days or weeks. Note that:
Dự đoán xổ sốThe free short courses are broadly divided across these categories:
Apart from the , other subsidised training is also offered, including:
Dự đoán xổ sốThe Australian Government is funding a range of higher education online short courses at reduced prices.
The aim is to help unemployed people gain new skills via remote learning. The full-time courses:
Entry requirements and start dates vary for each course. If you need help with costs, you can defer payment through the existing HECS-HELP program.
Dự đoán xổ sốOUA - a partnership between many Australian universities - offers a wide range of single subject units for study that do not have entry level requirements.
They cover a range of subjects, including:
These short course single subjects, many of which can be completed in weeks, also allow you to:
Dự đoán xổ sốThe community and continuing education sector has a unique focus on making learning affordable and accessible. Its wide variety of courses and training can help you:
Dự đoán xổ sốClasses are often scheduled across multiple weeks and can be held during the day, evening and on weekends.
Dự đoán xổ sốAn increasing number of courses are now being offered online as adult and community education (ACE) providers:
The (ACS) has compiled a list of free online technology courses.
They're offered by Australian and overseas universities as well as teaching academies from across the world in response to coronavirus.
Courses cover many topics, from digital transformation and coding to 3D game development, and are aimed at all levels of learning.
Some of the participating institutions include:
Open Colleges is an Australian company providing online and face-to-face training and education services.
Their online courses cover a wide range of workplaces and skills that help students retrain, change or take the next step in their careers.
Dự đoán xổ sốThere are both certificate and diploma level courses plus nationally recognised qualifications offered across:
If you're thinking of changing the type of work you do, see the topic, Starting a new career, for more information, guidance and resources
Dự đoán xổ sốUnderstanding your strengths and being aware of any gaps in your skills and experience can help you plan your next steps in finding work.
Dự đoán xổ sốThere are several online tools to help you get a clearer picture of what that next job could be, including:
Dự đoán xổ sốIn addition, any former work colleagues can be helpful in finding your next job. Their contacts and network may reveal opportunities that you are not aware of. So keeping those relationships going can be valuable.
Also see Section 3, Upskilling and retraining, for information on matching skills with job types.
Preparing to rejoin the workforce after finding yourself unemployed, or if you're looking to change careers, can involve several tasks that you may be unfamiliar with. These could include:
Job Jumpstart provides resources and activities to help you work out what jobs might suit your skills and experiences.
It combines information on employment planning and recruitment insights from Australian employers.
Dự đoán xổ sốThe site aims to help job seekers, no matter their life stage, better understand how to:
Dự đoán xổ sốA resume or CV and cover letter are your first opportunity to make a good impression with recruiters and employers.
Dự đoán xổ sốEven if your work experience is limited, a poorly presented or badly written resume could make it more difficult to progress your application or even get an interview.
The Australian Government's has resources to help you get job-ready. Its find a job blog has:
Dự đoán xổ sốJob interviews can be stressful. Practising your interview technique beforehand can:
Another important pre-interview task is to research the company you're looking to join.
If you do this, you'll have information to relate specific to the company and the role, which can show a future employer you have initiative and enthusiasm.
Dự đoán xổ sốIt could improve your chances of succeeding or at least advancing to the next stage of the recruitment process.
As for the interview, there are common questions that are often asked. Prepare your answers in advance and practise out loud how you’d respond.
There are many online resources advertising job vacancies. It's best to try several, rather than limit yourself to one.
This is because some offer only specialist roles in select industries while others combine job listings from a wide range of sources.
Online job search websites such as , , and others not only list vacancies but provide helpful advice on how to:
The Australian Government jobactive website and app also provides hints and tips to:
If there are specific employers or companies you’d like to work for, visit the careers section of their website or one of their social media channels, like Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Even if there are no suitable jobs advertised, you can often register your interest and preferences, and be notified if a role that matches your criteria becomes available in the future.
Employment or recruitment agencies are companies that match people to jobs. Some specialise in particular kinds of roles or industries.
Dự đoán xổ sốVisit their websites to search for available roles and other job finding resources.
If there are no jobs that match your skills and experience, you can often upload your resume or register an expression of interest.
There is a wide range of jobs, careers, professional development options, as well as training and education opportunities offered across local, state and federal governments.
Jobs in government cover many areas of work, including:
You can find general information, application checklists, vacancies and more resources for jobs in:
The gig economy is when customers and service providers come together via a digital platform such as a website or mobile app. The Uber ride sharing service is an example.
People offering their services in the gig economy are sometimes known as contingent workers. They usually work on a temporary or on-demand basis.
The work can often be an interim measure to earn income until a more permanent or preferred role comes along.
Apart from the likes of Uber, other gig-type work could include:
There is a range of government financial assistance packages and mentoring services to help you start your own small business:
If you are unemployed, not studying or training, and interested in running your own business, the Australian Government offers New Business Assistance with NEIS.
NEIS is the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme. It provides eligible people with:
Dự đoán xổ sốVolunteering provides a chance to take on new experiences as well as give something back to the wider community.
Your contribution can be part-time, casual, or even full-time. Other possible benefits of volunteering include:
Dự đoán xổ sốAn organisation like has general information and lists of organisations that may have a shortage of volunteers.
You can also search for a position based on keywords, your availability and location at the .
Dự đoán xổ sốTimebanking is a community program where members exchange their services or skills for jobs needed to be done. It is free to join.
When you voluntarily perform a task for a member, you earn time credits. Later, you can use those credits to receive services you’re interested in. It creates community connections through shared experiences.
Dự đoán xổ sốFor example, if you have computer or IT skills, you could:
If you feel you need support right now, contact the or call them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 13 11 14
Dự đoán xổ sốIf the impact of losing your job is placing pressure on your family, finances or relationships, and causing you mental health concerns, consider talking to your doctor or trusted health professional.
Additionally, there is a wide range of support services you can reach out to for help.
You can also get in touch with a social worker through Services Australia. This free and confidential service can help with: