Take care of young Queenslanders starting first jobs

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, John Mickel today urged employers to do the right thing with young workers starting their first jobs at this time of year.

Mr Mickel said new workers should be properly trained and supervised to minimise the risk of injury or even death and they should not agree to shonky job offers that forced them to work on a trial basis or do unpaid “work experience”.

“Thousands of keen young Queenslanders will begin their first jobs over the next few weeks – some starting work full time and others commencing either part-time or casual jobs,” Mr Mickel said.

“This will be an exciting time for them but unfortunately young workers are the most exploited group in the workforce,” he said.

“The great majority of employers do a good job of caring for new workers but occasionally young people get off to the wrong start in their working lives.”

Mr Mickel said Queensland laws did not allow young people to be hired without being paid a minimum rate of pay and entitlements.

“A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay – young people should not be working on a trial basis to gain work experience,” he said.

Employees must be paid the minimum wage set by the relevant award or agreement, or the Queensland Minimum Wage.

Mr Mickel said employers could face fines of up to $15,000 for making young people work for free.

He said young people had some of the highest injury rates of any workplace group and needed more supervision than experienced people.

Each year around 50 young Queenslanders a day suffer a compensable work injury, with a young Queenslander permanently impaired every day.

In 2006-07 in Queensland, males aged 15 to 24 had the highest non-fatal injury rates at around 104 accepted workers compensation claims per 1000 workers.

“Because young people are so enthusiastic and keen to please they may jump headlong into jobs employers give them without being properly prepared,” Mr Mickel said.

“Employers and supervisors have a duty of care to train and supervise young workers in proper work safe procedures, to prevent serious injury or even death,” he said.

Work activities that could pose particular risks for young people are: manual tasks, jobs involving noise, chemicals, electrical hazards, industrial equipment and machinery, and work on construction sites.

Under Queensland occupational health and safety laws, employers must:

·identify the health and safety risks of particular work tasks and adopt procedures to eliminate or control them.

·train workers in the procedures and provide them with any safety equipment they need.

·ensure workers perform their tasks safely by providing training, supervision and support.

·encourage workers to speak to their supervisor about any health and safety issues.

Young workers and employers can get more information on pay and entitlements at http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/industrial/index.htm which also has links to Wageline, the Queensland Government’s information service on wages on 1300 369 945, and the Young Workers Advisory Service (YWAS).

For information on the Children and Young Workers Code of Practice visit http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/law/codes/childrenyoung/index.htm

For advice on young people and work safety visit www.worksafe.qld.gov.au or call the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland Infoline on 1300 369 915.

Media contact: Joe Begley 3237 1944 or Jane Rowe 3237 1125