On 12 December 2023, the Australian Human Rights Commission's new powers to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the 'positive duty' in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) commenced.

The positive duty requires employers and PCBUs to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate, as far as possible, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, behaviours that create a hostile workplace environment on the ground of sex and related acts of victimisation occurring in a work context or in connection with work.

The introduction of the positive duty was one of the key outcomes from the Australian Human Rights Commission's Respect@Work Report. The Commission issued Guidelines in August 2023 which provide detail on what it expects businesses and organisations to do to satisfy the positive duty. The Commission has said it will have regard to the Guidelines when assessing compliance.

This webinar – Part 1 of a two-part series – assists Ai Group members to understand and comply with the positive duty.

Part 1:

• The positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)
• Navigating the positive duty:
• How do the guidelines apply to your organisation?
• The four guiding principles that underpin the implementation of the seven standards

Presenters:

Joanna Knoth, Special Counsel, Ai Group Workplace Lawyers; Principal Adviser, Ai Group

Yoness Blackmore, Workplace Relations Policy and Knowledge Management Specialist, Ai Group