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A worker
is not offered overtime but some of his colleagues are. What can
he do about it? A young shop assistant is accused of shoplifting,
which she adamantly denies. How can she protect her reputation and
avoid getting sacked? Someone else is being told she has to work
on Saturday, her day off. Can she say no?
These
are just some of the questions that people in the workforce ask
the Citizens Advice Bureau every day and this week the Citizens
Advice Bureau is making sure that all working people know CAB has
information relevant to them. The week is the Citizens Advice Bureau’s
annual Awareness Week, and the country’s 91 CABs and their national
Association are holding stalls, displays, sausage sizzles and other
events to ensure that the people in their communities know they
are there for them.
"Working
people need information and advice about all sorts of things to
do with their work and their rights as employees," says the
New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux Chief Executive
Nick Toonen. "CAB also gets calls from employers who aren’t
sure about how to handle various situations. Our 91 member bureaux
hold a lot of information about people’s rights at work.
"With
the changes to the employment laws last October many people are
unsure what their legal entitlements are and how the new laws affect
them. CAB has comprehensive information about the new Act and can
put them onto the right place if they have a particular problem
they need help with. Last year, of the half million enquiries our
bureaux handled, 16,300 were employment related matters."
In
response to the needs of working people, the CAB is now more accessible
than it has ever been, Mr Toonen says. "We have an 0800 number
(0800 FOR CAB/0800 367 222) which means people can call from work
or make a toll call without it costing them anything. We also have
a website which means people can access information over the internet
24 hours a day. And a number of bureaux have extended their opening
hours to include evenings and weekends so that they are accessible
outside of working hours.
"But
CAB doesn’t just deal with employment related issues. We have information
on a huge number of topics that people deal with in their everyday
lives.
"For
example, if you buy a new coat and it tears at the seam after the
second wear, the CAB will explain your rights under the Consumer
Guarantees Act. Or if you want to learn to speak Japanese, they
have the contact details for courses in your area. Or maybe you’re
on the unemployment benefit and not sure you are getting your full
entitlements. CAB will let you know what they are and help you sort
out how to get the correct amount. If you need legal advice they
can arrange for a free appointment with a lawyer to help you decide
what course of action is best. Or perhaps you have just come to
New Zealand from another country and need help sorting out your
residency.
"The
list is endless and CAB’s trained volunteers have time to listen
and help you sort out the options."
"The
other way people can be involved in CAB is to become a volunteer,
something that our 2750 volunteers find very rewarding. It gives
you a chance to give something back to your community, learn new
skills and information and build your experience in the unpaid workforce.
To be a CAB worker you need to be able to listen, be open-minded,
keen to learn, interested in people, enjoy helping others and able
to make a regular time commitment," says Nick Toonen.
To
contact CAB for information, advice or support, or to find out more
about becoming a volunteer, phone 0800 FOR CAB (0800 367 222) or
visit the volunteer page on this website.
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