The Office of Industrial Relations has said Queensland workers are to be given strengthened protection from sexual, sex or gender-based workplace harassment following new laws that have been passed in Parliament.
The Office said key reforms included improving the Queensland Employment Standards; promoting gender pay equity in collective bargaining negotiations; and clarifying rules around representation provided by registered organisations for employers and workers.
Minister for Industrial Relations, Grace Grace said the Industrial Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 realises a Government commitment to provide important protections for workers and gives effect to the recommendations of the five-year review of the laws.
“The changes empower the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to conciliate, arbitrate and issue relief to protect victims of sexual, sex or gender-based harassment,” Ms Grace said.
“The Commission is also empowered to set minimum conditions and entitlements for independent courier drivers.”
She said the legislation also provided enhanced birth-related and parental leave, and allowed individual parents to allocate childcare responsibilities in a way that worked best for their family’s circumstances.
“Casual workers will now be able to access 10 paid days of leave to assist them or their families when escaping domestic violence,” the Minister said.
“While collective bargaining has delivered stronger wages and working conditions in exchange for flexible and productive workplaces, we still have gender pay inequality. That’s why we have introduced provisions in the Act to ensure the promotion of gender pay equity in the bargaining process,” Ms Grace said.
