Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work National Review Launch
Good morning and welcome to the launch of Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work National Review.
Good morning and welcome to the launch of Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work National Review.
In 2013, the Australian Government asked the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, to undertake a National Review into discrimination related to pregnancy, parental leave and return to work after parental leave.
As part of the Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work National Review, the Australian Human Rights Commission contracted Roy Morgan Research to conduct a National Survey to measure the prevalence of discrimination in the workplace related to pregnancy, parental leave and return to work following parental leave. This report provides an overview of the headline prevalence data gathered from the National Survey.
The submissions process for the Supporting Working Parents: Pregnancy and Return to Work National Review is now closed.
The Australian Human Rights Commission invited written submissions from:
The National Review Reference Group will provide counsel on the research methodology, analysis of the findings and the final report and recommendations.
The Reference Group consists of 7 members representing business, community groups, unions and academics. The Reference Group will be chaired by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner. The members include:
The Sex Discrimination Commissioner, on behalf of the Commission, will conduct research to identify the prevalence of discrimination in relation to pregnancy at work and return to work after parental leave as follows:
The Issues Paper provides some background information for those individuals, organisations and businesses interested in contributing to the National Review on the prevalence, nature and consequences of discrimination in relation to pregnancy at work and return to work after parental leave.
Details on how individuals, organisations and businesses can participate in the National Review are provided in Section 8.
Pregnant and Productive: It's a right not a privilege to work while pregnant presents the findings of an extensive inquiry conducted by the Commission. Information provided to the inquiry indicated that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and the inability to obtain paid maternity leave are significant factors contributing to Australian women and their partners deciding to not have children or to limit the size of their families. This report details pregnancy discrimination in the workplace and makes recommendations to address these inequities.
The Pregnancy Guidelines 2001 help clarify many of the issues surrounding pregnancy and work. The intersection of anti-discrimination, industrial and occupational health and safety laws can be complex and confusing. The Guidelines aim to help employers and employees better understand and meet the existing requirements.