Employers are to be required to report workplace sexual assault incidents to WorkSafe ACT under reforms to the law passed in the Legislative Assembly yesterday (23 November).
Announced by the Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Mick Gentleman, the new rule is part of a range of changes to workplace health and safety laws.
“Protecting workers is central to what we do,” Mr Gentleman said.
“Historically, there has been a gap in legislation around the country that has meant workplace regulators, like WorkSafe ACT, have only had to be notified of workplace sexual assault incidents if there was a hospital admission or medical treatment provided,” he said.
“This should not be the case.”
Mr Gentleman said every employee in every business operating in the ACT was now protected by the new law.
“It means that employers must formally notify WorkSafe ACT as soon as they become aware of a sexual assault incident in their workplace,” the Minister said.
“This reform is an important step forward in addressing psychosocial hazards in the workplace.”
He said the ACT was working on broader reforms to address the impacts of psychological illnesses and injuries at work, including a code of practice for managing psychosocial hazards in the workplace, “which we’re aiming to introduce next year”.
Mr Gentleman said the reforms also included a ban on businesses insuring against their liability for work health and safety fines and penalties, and clarifications for management about safety responsibilities.
