The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched its Anonymous Report function in 16 languages other than English.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said that the new tool was developed to overcome some of the barriers that migrant workers face when dealing with workplace issues.

“Factors such as limited English skills, cultural barriers and a lack of awareness of workplace rights mean that migrant workers can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation in the workplace,” James said.

“These same factors also make it difficult for migrant workers to know where or how to seek help.

“We have also commissioned research showing that when it comes to international students in the Australian workplace, 60 per cent believe that if they report a workplace issue to their employer the situation will either remain the same, or get worse.

“My agency is aiming to break down these barriers and make it as easy as possible for migrant workers to report their concerns to us. Being able to make an anonymous report in languages other than English is a key step in enabling migrant workers to readily engage with the Fair Work Ombudsman,” James said.

The Fair Work Ombudsman originally launched the Anonymous Report function in May 2016 to allow the community to report potential workplace breaches, in recognition that some employees are reluctant to complain about workplace issues.

“Since the launch of the Anonymous Report function, the Fair Work Ombudsman has received more than 10,000 tipoffs with 15 per cent of these coming from visa holders,” James said.

“To make it easier for people from a non-English speaking background we have now launched this tool in 16 languages other than English, including Chinese, Korean, Arabic and Spanish.

“Now migrant workers can tell us their concerns, in their own language, without being identified.”

High profile inquiries by the Fair Work Ombudsman into matters such as 7/11, Woolworths trolley collectors and 4 and 5 star hotel cleaners highlight the prevalence of often deliberate and systematic exploitation of migrant workers.

Intelligence gathered via the anonymous report tool enables the agency to target its compliance and education activities.

James said improving the employment experience of migrant workers in Australia is a priority for the agency.

“We understand that it can be hard to speak up if you are facing issues at work, but we hope that our new translated Anonymous Report function will encourage more migrant workers to do so.”

The Fair Work Ombudsman also knows that visa holders working in Australia may be reluctant to seek assistance if they think that doing so will lead to adverse consequences, such as damaging future job prospects or cancellation of their visa.

“I would like to reassure visa holders that in line with an agreement between my agency and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, you can seek our assistance without fear of your visa being cancelled” James said.

The tool is available in the following languages:

Chinese Simplified
Chinese Traditional
Korean
Hindi
Arabic
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Spanish
Vietnamese
Indonesian
Filipino
Portuguese
Thai
Nepali

The Anonymous Report tool can be accessed at: www.fairwork.gov.au/inlanguageanonymousreport.