When should a mediator get involved?
Many of the employment matters referred to the Department revolve around preserving or improving workplace relationships.
If you still need help after calling the Contact Centre to discuss your case, the matter can be referred to an area office for mediation assistance.
Contacting the Department to talk about mediation does not commit you to taking any further action. You don’t need to make a formal complaint to the other party before speaking to the Department but a problem should be raised and discussed by the parties, with a view to resolving it, prior to any third party intervention occurring.
The Department’s mediation services can help you to:
- obtain information on problem solving
- identify the skills you need to deal with the problem yourself
- be the trigger for you and the other party to recognise a problem exists
- resolve problems and improve workplace relations.
Help from a Department of Labour mediator is free and confidential.
