Employment Advocate | Includes Providing Assistance to Employees

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Employment Advocate

An employment advocate deals with employees' problems in the workplace as against dismissals, redundancies, bullying, harassment, discrimination, personal grievances, and disciplinary actions suffered by the employee.

What does it take to be an employment advocate?

Not only should you know about the working knowledge of the law, you also have to understand the feelings behind employment disputes. Listening is an important knack to have in order to be good in being an employment advocate. A good listening skill gives an edge in helping clients decide what outcomes they want to get and in helping to get them.

An employment advocate focuses on getting the main features of the client's story of what happened, and how the client would like the matter resolved. The employment advocate will then give an advice along with what options his client will take in order to settle the dispute.

It would be fine if the client is satisfied and his or her problem with his or her employer solved. Where an advice is not enough however, an employment advocate does further work for the client if dispute is not resulted. The employment advocate write letters of complaint and formulate a personal grievance. The employment advocate will also negotiate with the employer on his client's behalf, or support his client in mediation.

Does the employment advocate need to be a lawyer?

An employment advocate does not need to be a lawyer. He may not be one as long as he has an informed and responsible knowledge on the legal ramifications of labor issues. Then, he can represent his client who relies on the employment advocate for his legal knowledge and capacity.

An employment advocate not only deals with employees though. She/He also has employers as clients. An employment advocate would help in the development of organizational policies and procedures, conduct of investigations, or training of staff.

In Australia, the Office of the Employment Advocate provides extensive information and advice to employers and employees about Australian workplace agreements. The Office of the Employment Advocate also has an online service and links to community and commercial partners involved in the creation and maintenance of Australian workplace agreements.

Issues on freedom of association such as right of entry, strike pay and a detailed workplace relations guide of employer's rights are found in the employer's section.

The employer's section in the office of the Employment Advocate includes forms, statistics, templates and examples, with comprehensive FAQ pages about Australian workplace agreements. Another Office of the Employment Advocate is found online where one can draft workplace agreements.