4. Handing casework
is challenging. The advice from caseworkers is to look after yourself – dealing with cases can be overwhelming and isolating. Don’ t be afraid to ask colleagues for help.
“ You can’ t fix everything. Sometimes it’ s about walking alongside someone, not taking over their fight.” – UNISON organiser
Triaging cases: is it a workplace or an immigration issue?
Examples of issues that are more likely to be employment- or workplacebased include:
• Member has lost their job and is worried about the implications for their visa
• Member is experiencing problems with their employer
• Member is getting threatened by their employer – including potential modern day slavery or trafficking
• Member refers to their salary, salary threshold or hours
• Member’ s employer has had their licence revoked
• Member is worried about their visa sponsorship
• Member is having issues with their employment and they have been given deadlines
• Member has received a letter from the Home Office saying their visa has been curtailed / ended and they have a set amount of time( usually 60 days)( Note: all other letters from the Home Office will be more likely to be an immigration law issue.)
Examples of issues which would benefit from immigration law advice and should be referred to the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants( JCWI) are:
• If member mentions their family, spouse, children( Note: if the issue is that the member has lost their job or is at risk of it and their family are dependants on their visa, this should NOT be referred to the JCWI as it is a work issue – see Chapter 6)
• A letter from the Home Office( that isn’ t about job sponsorship)
• A refugee / asylum issue
• An Indefinite Leave to Remain issue( ILR)
• Citizenship / naturalisation question.
• Electronic visa problem
24 LRD • Supporting migrant workers