Internship Program

A unique opportunity for law students to engage with employment law

ISEALS for international students

Supporting students' work rights

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets about a number of employment law issues

Newsletter signup

For regular employment law updates from JobWatch
Open Menu Close Menu

Telephone Information Service

About the Telephone Information Service

We are known for our unique Telephone Information Service (TIS), a free and confidential service that assists over 16,000 Victorian, Queensland and Tasmanian workers every year with their rights at work.

Through the TIS, we are able to provide legal information and referrals relevant to our callers’ individual situations.

Call our free and confidential TIS now on (03) 9662 1933 (Melbourne Metro) or 1800 331 617 (Regional VIC, QLD, TAS). Our opening hours are 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, except for Wednesday when we are open until 8.30pm.

Note, the TIS provides legal information, and does not provide legal advice. If you require legal advice, we can provide referrals to appropriate services when you call us.

Need interpreter assistance?

Access to interpreters is arranged as required via the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National). Please call us to arrange this.

  • "I feel more aware of my employment rights. I will call back again soon because I have more HR meetings at work that I need to discuss. Fair Work referred me to you because they said you would be able to explain the laws and information more clearly."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "I had previously spoken to my consultant and he remembered me which was nice and he knew my situation already. He could conceptualise everything and gave me relevant resources promptly. He really helped on different occasions and made me understand what my rights were in regard to the issues I was having at work."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "I got a lot of clarity around things that I had spoken to other services about, the assistance cleared up a lot of my questions and the consultant explained things really well. I was also happy with the way that I was treated, I didn’t feel like just another number or an inconvenience like I did at other places I called."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "If JobWatch didn’t exist, I would have gone straight to seeking out a lawyer for advice but I am glad that I didn’t have to do this, it would have cost me more and taken me down a rabbit hole I didn’t want to go down. I felt very clear in my mind about which way to go after I had spoken to the two people I spoke to at JobWatch."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "The information that was given was helpful to help me make decisions regarding an issue I had at my workplace. I feel happy I discovered JobWatch and will use it again in the future."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "The consultant that I talked to was very knowledgeable and didn’t take long to answer my question. He didn’t limit his answer, and also added additional information that was helpful and I felt like somebody had my back."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "“Very detailed information that was given to me very clearly. The consultant made sure I understood the information. They allowed me to stop and ask for clarification.” "

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "“The information that was provided to me was really detailed and it helped me know my rights with my employer. The consultant was empathetic and took the time to listen to me.” "

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "The information was easy to understand, they didn’t explain it using difficult lawyer talk. I appreciated that they treated me with respect and I would be happy to use the service again in future."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "My consultant showed compassion for my issue when I was frazzled. They got me to repeat things so they understood and gave great information for my issue."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "The JobWatch service was empathetic, they offered actionable ideas on what to do next when faced with a stressful and complex situation."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "The consultant went out of their way to seek all of the relevant information and showed enormous empathy. A relief knowing that JobWatch was there to listen and that I mattered and that my situation mattered."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "It can be intimidating to seek help but they made it really helpful, and respectful. The information was clear and the factsheets too. I appreciated that my consultant had a lot of experience and provided good counsel by being able to listen and understand my situation."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "I feel like the person I spoke to knew what they were talking about and it was nice to speak to someone on the phone instead of looking online for answers."

    - JobWatch Caller

  • "If it wasn’t for JobWatch, I would have spent hours upon hours trying to Google the information that JobWatch was able to provide to me straight away."

    - JobWatch Caller

How the Telephone Information Service works

Have you ever wondered what happens when you call the Telephone Information Service?

First, we ask you for some personal information – for instance, name, gender, age, and contact details. This information helps us tailor information to your circumstances, and is kept confidential as per our Privacy Policy.

To better understand the issue that you’re calling about, we’ll also ask some questions about your work – whether you are permanent or casual, what your job is, how long you’ve been working for your employer, what industry you work in, and the size of your employer. All these factors may impact the information we give you.

We will then have a discussion regarding any issues you are experiencing at work or any questions you have about your employment rights.

Typically, our phone consultants will then speak with a supervisor to confirm the appropriate legal information for your situation, before giving you that information. Where appropriate, they will also email you any relevant Fact Sheets and resources to support this information.

This is the end of the call, but you can always call back again if you need to.

So, are you ready to get started? Call our free and confidential TIS now on (03) 9662 1933 (Melbourne Metro) or 1800 331 617 (Regional VIC, QLD, TAS).

Sign up for our newsletter

Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved

JobWatch acknowledges and is grateful for the financial and other support it has received from our supporters.
JobWatch acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we are located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors, and Elders, past, present and emerging.