If you have a workplace issue call us on 1800 WWC VIC Monday-Friday between 9:30am-3pm.
We offer free legal help for working women and non-binary people, including:
- Advice and Information: We can help with workplace issues like sexual harassment and unfair dismissal.
- Representation and Advocacy: We can support and represent you in mediations, tribunals, and courts if you’ve faced workplace issues or sexual harassment.
- Education and Training: We provide training for businesses, community groups and workers to awareness of people’s rights and create safe, supportive workplaces.
- Prevention and Law Reform: We collaborate with the our peak body Working Women’s Centre Australia and other women’s centers across Australia to promote gender equality and eliminate sexual harassment. We make submissions to inquiries and contribute to driving change in workplace laws and legal systems in Victoria.
Our specialist lawyers help women and non-binary people with a variety of workplace-related matters including:
- Sexual harassment
- Discrimination
- Wage theft
- Unfair dismissal
- Sham contracting
- Parental leave
- Family violence
- Workplace bullying
Our services are accessible to all women and non-binary people.
This includes cis and trans women, people who are gender diverse, gender fluid, masculine or feminine. You can be young or old, come from any cultural background, live anywhere in Victoria, have a disability, or be on a temporary visa.
All women and non-binary people can contact us for information, advice about your matter and referrals.
Ongoing representation through mediation, tribunals, and courts is subject to your eligibility*, our capacity and resources, as well as the likelihood of success of your claim.
*When making a decision about providing legal advice appointments and ongoing representation, we aim to ensure we are accessible to people who are at greatest risk of discrimination and harm in the workplace. This includes people experiencing family violence, people with a disability, migrant workers, international students, people living in regional areas, casual workers, people on a low income, non-binary people and young workers in unstable employment.
While you can contact us for legal advice, ongoing representation through mediation, tribunals, and courts is subject to the likelihood of success of your claim as well as our capacity and resources.
When making a decision about providing ongoing representation, we also take into account a person’s income to ensure we are accessible to people who are at greatest risk of discrimination and harm in the workplace. This includes people experiencing family violence, people with a disability, migrant workers, international students, casual workers, non-binary people and young workers in unstable employment.
Explain your problem to Working Women’s Centre Victoria staff
When you call 1800 WWC VIC for help, you will speak to one of our friendly staff.
If you need, tell us what language you speak, and we will arrange an interpreter. We will ask you some questions to understand your issue and if you are eligible for our service. We will ask questions like:
- Your name
- Where you live
- Workplace name and where it is located
- How long you have worked at your job
- A brief explanation of your issue
- How you heard about Working Women’s Centre Victoria
- Some questions about who you are, your background and how you identify to help us understand who needs the most help in the community
*Please note that all information you share with us is subject to our privacy policy. We will never contact your employer, coworker or dispute resolution body without your permission.
Depending on where you live and if you’re eligible, you will be booked in for a free advice appointment with one of our lawyers. Your appointment with a lawyer can be in person, on the phone or on a Microsoft Teams video call.
We will ask you to email any relevant documents for our lawyers to review before your appointment. The more information and proof you can provide, the easier it will be to understand your issue and how we can help.
Our lawyers are based across Victoria and are from the South-East Monash Legal Service, Women’s Legal Service Victoria, WEstjustice, and Northern Community Legal Centre. The lawyer we choose for you will be in a centre that is as close to where you live as possible.
After we receive your application for help, a Working Women’s Centre Victoria staff member will give you a call to discuss your problem and make sure you’re eligible for free legal help. This may take up to 3 business days. There is a strict 21-day timeframe for getting help with dismissal-related matters, so if you feel that you have been fired unfairly, please let us know as soon as you can.
During your appointment with a lawyer, you will be able to speak with a lawyer about your issue. You can ask questions and the lawyer will provide advice. Our lawyers will give you advice, share resources and empower you to have the confidence to advocate for your rights in the workplace.
If your issue needs more advice, our lawyers will organise a second appointment.
Ongoing legal representation for mediation, tribunals, and courts is subject to the likelihood of success of your claim, your income level and our Centre’s capacity and resources. We want to make sure that our limited resources are accessible to women and non-binary people who are at the greatest risk of discrimination and harm in the workplace. This includes people experiencing family violence, people with a disability, migrant workers, international students, casual workers, gender-diverse people and young workers in unstable employment.