October 2003
Two Rivers is a quarterly newsletter produced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit of the Office of Industrial Relations to provide Aboriginal communities with information, stories and updates on happenings within the world of industrial relations.
Award rate increases
The following some of the awards which have been varied recently to reflect the State Wage Case in May:
- Clerical and Administrative Employees (State) Award- effective from 26 June 2003
- Teachers (Non-Government Early Childhood Service Centres Other than Pre-Schools) (State) Award - effective from 1 July 2003
- Teachers (Non-Government Pre-Schools) (State) Award- effective from 1 July 2003
- Miscellaneous Workers Kindergartens and Child Care Centres &c (State) Award- effective from 28 August 2003
To check if your award has been varied recently, call Rae or Chris on 1300 361 968.
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Left: Felicity Huntington (ADB),
Aboriginal Elder, Pansey Hickey,
and Chris Capper (OIR).
Penrith was the site of the third information forum put on by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit, the Anti-Discrimination Board, WorkCover NSW and the Office of Fair Trading.
This very successful two day forum held on the 17 and 18 September attracted over 75 people from all over NSW, including Bega, Batemans Bay, Armidale and Bodalla. Indigenous advisers from a range of State and Commonwealth Government agencies and community organisations were on hand to offer information and advice on a range of issues, including:
- harassment and discrimination
- workplace safety and workers compensation
- employment and industrial relations laws in NSW
- tax and superannuation
- consumer rights and fair trading.
Bottom Left: Rae Hamilton (OIR), Felicity Huntington (ADB),
Narelle Hennessy (ADB), Vicki Cosgrove (WorkCover NSW),
Second row left: Nareen Young (WWC), Pansey Hickey (Elder),
Chris Capper (OIR), Martin Wighton (OFT),
Standing on left: Wayne Reynolds (WorkCover NSW)
and Kaylene Slater (Artist).
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5-6 November 2003
Western Sydney Combined Information Forum - FOLLOW-UP
Blacktown Workers Club
Campbell Street, BLACKTOWN
Follow up on issues raised at the forum in Penrith in September
4-5 December 2003
New England Area Combined Information Forum
Coledale Community Centre
2b Kenny Street, TAMWORTH
First forum in the New England area
To register, or for further information, call Rae or Chris on 1300 361 968 (local call cost).
It will now be easier to recognise information about the combined forums thanks to Aboriginal artist Kaylene Slater of Authentic Aboriginal Arts & Craft Cultural Centre. She has created two distinctive designs to be used exclusively to promote the forums. The artwork will also help everyone differentiate 'information forums' from 'follow-up forums'. These are scheduled three months later to enable employers and employees to apply advice and strategies gained from the initial forum back at the workplace, and seek further advice and clarification on issues.
Left: initial forum Right: Follow-up forums
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This continues the information series about your rights at work.
Preparing for the interview
In preparing for the interview, take information to confirm any qualification or work experience you may have. Be prepared to explain the qualities or attributes you have and how that would make you the better candidate for the position. You may ask for additional information about the position, the company or even future advancement within the organisation to help you better understand what the job involves.
The Job Offer
What do you do once you have successfully attended the interview and have received an offer of employment?
Ideally the organisation will confirm in writing that you have been successful in your application. There should also be a letter for you sign and send back to the organisation confirming your acceptance of the position.
Letter of Offer
Before signing a letter and sending it back to the organisation, you should make sure that it includes details of the employment relationship. The letter may include an outline of your responsibilities, level of the position, the wage, type of employment (permanent, part-time or casual), hours of work, leave provisions (eg. sick leave, annual leave), the probation period, workplace policies and any other issues.
The Letter of Offer should also identify if the work that you will be performing is covered by an appropriate award or an enterprise agreement.
If the organisation telephones you to advise that you were successful, ask if they can confirm in writing that you have been successful and the terms and conditions of employment. You will be able to refer back to this Letter of Offer at a later stage should you need to clarify any aspect of your employment.
You will be required to sign the Letter of Offer and send it back to the organisation confirming acceptance of the offer. Before sending it back to the employer, take a copy and keep it on file at home to refer back to at a later stage if you need to.
There is no legal requirement for organisations to provide a Letter of Offer, but it is becoming increasingly common practice for it to occur, and it is also good practice for businesses to provide this to new employees.
If the work that you will be performing in your new job is not covered by an industrial award, then the terms and conditions outlined in the Letter of Offer will form the Contract of Employment.
What is a 'contract of employment'?
When an employee accepts an offer of employment (oral or written), a contract of employment has been established. Under this contract, both the employer and employee have certain rights and obligations. Some stem from common law but most are set out in awards or agreements approved by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
PREVIOUS ISSUE: Applying for a job and preparing your application
NEXT ISSUE: Categories of employment, hours of work and your pay.
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For back issues of this newsletter, please contact Rae Hamilton or Chris Capper on 1300 361 968 (local call cost).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit, PO BOX 847, Darlinghurst NSW 1300
Phone: 1300 361 968 Fax: 02 9020 4734
e-mail: atsi@oir.commerce.nsw.gov.au or website:www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/workplace/atsi.
Phone: 131 628
| Award Enquiries
©Office of Industrial Relations, NSW Department of Commerce
