Legislation prohibiting conduct creating "hostile" workplace environments, and imposing a positive duty on employers to prevent s-xual harassment, has been introduced by the Federal Government.
A worker who was terminated because of her post-traumatic stress disorder has lost her unfair dismissal and disability discrimination case, with a commission accepting her employer was unable to make suitable adjustments for her.
A major report on the barriers female workers face in the transport industry has identified the need to address systemic WHS gaps, including the lack of workplace amenities for women, physical safety concerns, and diversity issues that have led to a rise in harassment and bullying.
Weak WHS standards and poor complaint processes for victims of bullying and harassment have emerged, again, as major concerns in parliamentary workplaces. The latest review into the issue, this time in Tasmania, has made recommendations around HR functions that should be noted by all organisations.
A company that punished one of its health and safety representatives, for repeatedly raising safety concerns with a health and safety regulator, has been found guilty of and sentenced for OHS discrimination.
Imposing a positive duty on employers to eliminate workplace discrimination, harassment and victimisation will fill gaps left by WHS laws and enforcement, but will not require duty holders to prove these forms of misconduct are "impossible" at their sites, according to a legislative review, whose 163 recommendations have been accepted in Western Australia.
A superior court has confirmed that a worker who was exposed to bullying and racist taunts by a colleague suffered a compensable psychological injury, rejecting his employer's claim his pre-existing mental health issues blocked his access to benefits.
A first-of-its-kind Australian study has shown that workplace diversity training and "ally networks" have a positive impact on the wellbeing of employees who identify as LGBTQ+, and in turn, a positive impact on workplace productivity.
Employers will soon be required to proactively take steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and adopt new procedures for managing psychosocial risks, under new legislation committed to by the Federal Labor Government.