The Australian Industry Group welcomes the introduction into Parliament today of the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill 2021 to implement some of the key recommendations of the Respect@Work Report. The report was the outcome of the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces conducted by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins.
"I was a member of the National Inquiry's Member Reference Group and Ai Group facilitated several consultations between our employer members and the Commissioner to share the employers' perspective in preventing sexual harassment and addressing complaints," Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group said today.
"Sexual harassment has no place in Australian workplaces and more needs to be done to address this important issue, including giving employers more support when addressing inappropriate conduct in their workplaces. The Bill:
"In addition, the Bill expands the compassionate leave provisions in the Fair Work Act to include miscarriages. This is an appropriate extension to the existing provisions which provide up to two days of leave where a member of the employee’s immediate family or household dies or has a life-threatening illness or injury.
"Ai Group will take the time to carefully consider the provisions in the Bill to ensure that there are no unintended consequences. We will raise any concerns about the drafting of particular provisions in the Bill in our submission to the Parliamentary inquiry that will scrutinise the provisions in the Bill," Mr Willox said.
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