Australian Human Rights Commission to crack down on employers who fail to actively prevent workplace sexual harassment

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 19:24:46 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/12/australian-human-rights-commission-to-crack-down-on-employers-who-fail-to-actively-prevent-workplace-sexual-harassment>

"Employers will be held legally responsible for failing to proactively take
steps to prevent sexual harassment at work under a change that Australia’s sex
discrimination commissioner, Dr Anna Cody, hopes shifts the burden of progress
in workplaces.

The Human Rights Commission will be handed enforcement powers from Tuesday
after the “positive duty” reform was introduced in 2022 as part of the
Respect@Work legislation.

The positive duty requires employers to take “reasonable and proportionate”
measures to eliminate – as far as possible – sex discrimination, sexual
harassment, sex-based harassment and victimisation in the workplace.

Reflecting on its need, Cody told Guardian Australia there was a “heavy
burden” on individuals to come forward.

Sexual harassment in the workplace was common, pervasive and harmful and
Australia had “much further to go” in addressing it, she said."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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