The Federal Government's Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022 (Respect@Work Act) is now law.

Key takeouts

• The Respect@Work Act introduces a new positive duty on employers, expressly prohibits hostile workplace environments and expands the powers of the AHRC.

• The FWC now has expanded powers to deal with sexual harassment.

• Organisations need to be proactive in preventing sexual harassment. New resources from the AHRC and guidance on confidentiality agreements is available to assist employers.

The Respect@Work Act implements further recommendations of the Australia Human Rights Commission's (AHRC) landmark Respect@Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces 2020.

Along with other related recent changes, including new SafeWork guidance, the Respect@Work Act has been described as "game changing" by Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins.

Most significantly, the Respect@Work Act amends the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to introduce:

1. A new positive duty on employers and PCBUs ("Persons Controlling a Business or Undertaking") to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate, as far as possible, sexual harassment, sex-based discrimination and harassment, hostile workplace environments and victimisation. The Act expressly acknowledges that the new positive duty does not limit or otherwise affect a duty that an employer or PCBU has under work health and safety legislation.
2. ...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiU2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmxleG9sb2d5L...