In response to the bushfire crisis, the Fair Work Ombudsman has issued a reminder notice about employment conditions during natural disasters and emergencies. “An employee may have entitlements…when they’re unable to attend work due to an emergency or natural disaster,” says the FWO. Free legal help is now available for Victorian bushfire victims, and Service NSW is helping with the replacement of critical identity and business documents.
These events can cause devastation to communities and financial hardship for individuals and businesses, the FWO says. “An employee may have entitlements under their award or agreement that are relevant when they’re unable to attend work due to an emergency or natural disaster. If no such entitlement exists, the fact sheet will outline the options available to employers and employees depending on their circumstances.
“There may also be state-based advice and assistance available to affected employers and employees. Furthermore, state workplace health and safety laws provide for a general duty of care toward employees that should be considered.”
What if an employer has to temporarily close?
What are the alternatives to standing down employees?
Are employees able to take leave to take care of themselves or their family?
Information for those who want to assist with disaster-relief activities
More info and the fact sheet download is available here.
Wide Format Online has set up a help service to try to provide assistance to sign businesses affected by the bushfires. Let us know how we can help and we'll put the word out to suppliers and other signees. It could be a loan machine, trade work to keep you going, urgent supplies, service, cheap used/demo equipment, a loan vehicle, lobbying insurance companies - anything.
Email: andy@wideformatonline.com or graham.wfol@gmail.com
Free legal help for Victorian bushfire victims
Free legal assistance is available through Disaster Legal Help Victoria for anyone affected by the recent Victorian bushfires.
Disaster Legal Help Victoria is a collaboration between Victoria Legal Aid, the Federation of Community Legal Centres, the Law Institute of Victoria, the Victorian Bar and Justice Connect. It was originally formed in response to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.
People can call the Disaster Legal Help Victoria phone line on 1800 113 432, available Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm for free legal information, advice and referrals, or visit the website at www.disasterlegalhelp.org.au
SERVICE NSW HELPING CUSTOMERS REPLACE CRITICAL IDENTITY AND BUSINESS DOCUMENTS LOST IN BUSHFIRES
People who have lost important identity and business documents in the NSW bushfires should call or visit a Service NSW Centre for help to replace the paperwork for free.
Staff are at the ready to help customers apply for lost or destroyed documents including:
Free replacement of birth, marriage and change of name certificates from the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The registry will coordinate the replacement documents on a customers’ behalf, regardless of which state or territory in Australia, or New Zealand, they were born, married or changed their name.
Free replacement Transport for NSW products including driver licences, photo cards and boat licences.
Simplified proof of identity where customers no longer have all their identity documents.
Free replacement Fair Trading licences including those for contractors, the motor vehicle industry and the property licencing industry.
Free Owner Builder permits for customers who need to rebuild or repair their home due fire damage.
In some instances, Revenue NSW may also refund stamp duty paid on replacement vehicles that were written off due to the fires.
Operating hours may be temporarily reduced at some centres due to power outages in the South Coast area.
Eden, Narooma and Tumbarumba Service NSW Centres will be closed on Tuesday 7 January due to the bushfires.
Batemans Bay: One of our Mobile Service Centres will be based in the Service Centre car park at Shop 1, 341 Orient Street to help residents during power outages.
The Service NSW Contact Centre on 13 77 88 is open weekdays from 7am to 7pm.
There is also a dedicated page on the Service NSW website with links to various information and support services.
Australian legal profession support for bushfire victims
Australian lawyers are continuing to support bushfire victims as the crisis across Australia continues into 2020, according to the Law Council.
“I can only imagine how difficult it would be struggling with the loss of loved ones, your home, your business, your farm, or your animals,” said Pauline Wright, president, Law Council of Australia. “As a profession, we are uniquely placed to support victims as they require legal advice, and every lawyer should consider pro bono aid for those affected.”
Victims of the bushfire can seek assistance by contacting the law societies and bar associations in their state or territory and legal aid services may be contacted via nationallegalaid.org. Community legal associations are available through naclc.org.au and Law Access NSW and WA may be contacted at lawaccess.nsw.gov.au and lawaccess.org.au.
For other ways to support the fire services or those directly affected by the fires, you can check the official RFS site at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/news-and-media/general-news/how-you-can-help
Air quality reporting by state
|
State/Territory |
PM2.5/PM10 reporting |
Monitoring site |
|
NSW |
Rolling 24 hour average |
|
|
QLD |
Rolling 24 hour average |
|
|
Victoria |
Hourly updates |
|
|
Tasmania |
Hourly updates |
https://epa.tas.gov.au/epa/air/monitoring-air-pollution/real-time-air-quality-data-for-tasmania |
|
ACT |
Rolling 24 hour average |
|
|
SA |
Hourly updates |
https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/data_and_publications/air_quality_monitoring |
|
NT |
Rolling 24 hour average |
|
|
WA |
Rolling 24 hour average |
https://www.der.wa.gov.au/your-environment/air/air-quality-index |
