If you need to speak to someone about the impact your job situation is having on you and/or your family, reach out to a service listed in the Looking after yourself section below.
Support is available
The Australian Government provides a wide range of supports and services for any worker who loses their job.
Below is a list of the type of supports available to help you find work as quickly as possible.
Fair Entitlements Guarantee
The Fair Entitlements Guarantee, or FEG, is a scheme the department administers which pays outstanding entitlements to workers after the liquidation or bankruptcy of their employer. To confirm if you may be eligible for FEG, please refer to the FEG Eligibility fact sheet.
Financial assistance and advice
| Financial assistance | Australian citizens, holders of a permanent visa or holders of a protected Special Category Visa who are older than 22 and below the pension age may be eligible for income support payments. * a copy of your Letter of Termination (or Consultation Letter) and your last payslip will be required. | Apply online or call: 132 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Information Service | Services Australia’s free Financial Information Service (FIS) is available to everyone. | Call: 132 300 |
| Financial Counselling | If you feel concerned about your financial situation, speak with a financial counsellor as soon as possible. | National Debt Helpline Mob Strong Debt Helpline, for Indigenous Australians |
| Emergency relief support | The Australia Red Cross provides limited emergency relief to people on temporary visas who are experiencing financial hardship and vulnerability. | Emergency relief support for temporary visa holders | Australian Red Cross |
| Information in your language | Read, listen to or watch information in your language about Service Australia payments and services. | Information in your language - Accessing our services - Services Australia |
Looking after yourself
| Health and Wellbeing | Losing your job can be a difficult time. Talk to someone about taking care of you and your family’s mental health. | Beyond Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Support for young people | Mental health support for young people aged 16-25 years. | Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Call: 1800 650 890 |
Help with finding work
| Advice for anyone that has lost their job | Information and links to redundancy information and services available to anyone experiencing retrenchment. | What’s Next? |
|---|---|---|
Free support with:
| Workforce Australia is the Australian Government’s employment service. If you have been retrenched and have a legal right to work in Australia, you and your partner can access immediate support for up to 3 months before and up to 6 months after your retrenchment date. You don’t need to be eligible for Income Support payments to access this support. | Find a provider – Workforce Australia Enter your location and filter to “Workforce Australia Employment Services” to find a Provider near you. |
| Support for people aged 45 years and over | Personalised assistance and practical support with job searches and applying for a job, identify your existing skills and how they can transfer to a new job or industry. Build your confidence, improve your computer skills, and identify the job opportunities in your local area. | Career Transition Assistance |
| Job support for young people aged 15-24 | Support for young people aged 15-24 to find work (including apprenticeships and traineeships), training and local community services. | Transition to Work |
| Job support for people with disability | A Disability Employment Service (DES) Provider can help you find suitable work. | Job Access Call: 1800 464 800 |
| Employment Services National Customer Service Line | Call or email if you need help with finding a Provider or have questions about programs or services. | Call: 1800 805 260 Email: NationalCustomerServiceLine@dewr.gov.au |
New South Wales family assistance and local support
| Office | Address | Postal Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessnock | 36 Charlton Street Cessnock NSW 2325 | PO Box 13 Cessnock NSW 2325 | 02 4993 5000 |
| Maitland | 8 Alfred Close East Maitland NSW 2323 | PO Box 2182 Greenhills NSW 2323 | 02 4939 4800 |
| Muswellbrook Community Services Centre | 6 Market Lane Muswellbrook NSW 2333 | PO Box 289 Muswellbrook NSW 2333 | 02 6542 3444 |
| Mayfield | Level 2, 330 Maitland Road Mayfield NSW 2304 | PO Box 176 Mayfield NSW 2304 | 02 4904 8600 |
| Family Assistance | Department of Communities and Justice works with children, adults, families, and communities to deliver services with a collaborative approach. | Department of Communities and Justice |
|---|---|---|
| Training Services NSW | Training Services NSW offers Recognised Prior Learning (RPL), accreditation and training assistance. | or call: 13 28 11 |
| The Department of Social Services | The Department of Social Services has an online Service Directory where you can search by your location for a variety of supports, including food relief and parent support services. | The Department of Social Services |
Information about resumes, job applications and interviews
| Resume tips | Learn how to create a resume that shows how your skills and experience suits the job. | Resume 101: What needs to be in them (and what stays out) - Workforce Australia Online learning module |
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| Write a cover letter | Learn how to write an effective cover letter that will get you noticed. | Writing a cover letter – Workforce Australia Online learning module |
| Tailoring job applications | Find out about the different ways that employers recruit and how to apply for jobs correctly. | Job applications 101: What goes into one and what it says about you – Workforce Australia Online learning module |
| Prepare for a job interview | Prepare for job interviews by practising responses to common interview questions. |
Other helpful resources
| Mature Age Hub | Information on services and supports specifically for mature aged workers looking for work or wanting to upskill. | Mature Age Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Search job vacancies | Search Workforce Australia’s current job vacancies. | Workforce Australia for Individuals – Job Search |
| Changing careers | Help with identifying careers or jobs that match your skills and experience | Job Switch |
| Training and job options | Advice on looking for work, finding training or exploring other job options. | Your Career |
Contact
For any enquiries about employment supports and programs and other services, please email the Retrenchments team at the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations on retrenchment@dewr.gov.au.
For any enquiries about the Fair Entitlements Guarantee, contact feg@dewr.gov.au or the FEG Hotline on 1300 135 040. The FEG Hotline operating hours are Monday to Friday (AEDT 9 am to 5 pm).
Please consider any personal or sensitive information you include, as it may be shared with another government agency or authorised parties.