The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) has launched a new webpage on its website to help Agencies strengthen their approach to preventing sexual harassment in the Australian Public Service (APS)
Launching the page, the Commission said it highlighted existing tools and resources on the Respect@Work and Comcare websites for preventing and responding to sexual harassment in the workplace.
It said its page would also help Agencies make sure they were meeting requirements under the new Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Act 2022 which commenced on 13 December 2022.
“One in three Australians experience sexual harassment at work,” APSC said.
“Sexual harassment is often under-reported, so the true picture may not be known,” it said.
“Employees have also told us that sexual harassment has occurred in the APS and it remains a present concern.
“It is therefore critical that the APS ensures that workplaces are safe, respectful and free from harassment, and the APS leads by example.”
APSC said that under the Respect at Work Act, employers would need to proactively take ‘reasonable and proportionate measures’ to eliminate sexual harassment.
It said that if the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) suspected an employer was not meeting this threshold it could initiate action to address it using new compliance and enforcement powers.
“Although there will be a 12-month transition period before the positive duty becomes enforceable, it is important for APS Agencies to start implementing these changes now,” the Commission said.
The APSC’s ‘Preventing and responding to sexual harassment in the APS’ webpage can be accessed at this PS News link.
