Refine results
-
Children's Rights
25 September 2024Publication
Improving the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children
This study aims to provide a national focus for reforms to the child protection and youth justice systems by examining the nature of recommendations from 61 reports and inquiries into these systems between the years of 2010 and 2022. -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Religion
Discrimination in employment on the basis of religion occurs when someone does not experience equality of opportunity in employment because of their religion. This may include being refused a job, being dismissed from employment, being denied training opportunities or being harassed at work. Discrimination on the basis of religion alone is not unlawful under federal anti-discrimination law … -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Medical Assessment
Some organisations include a medical assessment as part of their recruitment process to gather additional information that will be used to select the successful candidate. However, it is important that employers do not discriminate against any candidate when using this information. It is against the law to refuse to employ a person based on information from a medical examination that… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Gender Identity
The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person because of their gender identity. There are some limited exemptions. Gender identity discrimination happens when a person is treated less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of that person’s gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of the… -
14 December 2012Book page
A Bad Business - Part B: The Complaints Process
Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advance, unwelcome request for sexual favours or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated, where a reasonable person would anticipate that reaction in the circumstances. [11] The Sex Discrimination Act defines the nature and circumstances in which sexual harassment is unlawful. [12] -
Commission – General
14 December 2012SpeechPresident Speech: 2010 Human Rights Day Oration
We meet today on the lands of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation. On behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission I pay my respect to their elders past and present. -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Physical Requirements
In some circumstances, employers can require employees and potential employees to meet the physical requirements of a job. However, physical requirements can amount to unlawful discrimination in some circumstances. Discrimination could be against the law if it is linked to a protected attribute, such as a person’s race, age, sex or disability, and the requirement is not reasonable. Example:… -
Commission – General
16 May 2014Webpage
Employees
All employees have the right to work free from sexual harassment. To help you figure out where the line is and give you some ideas about how to take bystander action if you see or hear about sexual harassment, we have developed a range of information resources as part of our Know Where the Line Is strategy. For an audio described version of the video click here. Click here to download… -
Legal
14 December 2012WebpageSubmission on the Inquiry into pay equity and associated issues related to increasing female participation in the workforce (2008)
The Australian Human Rights Commission (‘the Commission’)[1] makes this submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment and Workplace Relations in its Inquiry into pay equity and associated issues related to increasing female participation in the workforce (‘the Inquiry’). -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Working Hours
Offering employees flexible working hours, like other flexible work arrangements, is a way to create a productive workplace that is free of discrimination. In some circumstances, a rule that requires all employees to work certain hours can be indirect discrimination as it may have an unfair effect on some groups of people, such as people with disabilities, women who are pregnant or… -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012SpeechSpeeches and papers
This page provides access to over 200 speeches and papers on disability issues from members (current and past) and senior staff of the Australian Human Rights Commission. All major speeches since 2000 are included, as well as a selection of earlier speeches and papers as far back as 1989. -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Gender Equality
Women experience inequality in many areas of their lives. At work, women face a gender ‘pay gap’ and barriers to leadership roles. Many encounter reduced employment opportunities because of the time they give to family and caring responsibilities. Sexual harassment and gender-based violence also threaten women’s basic right to feel safe and respected at work, in public, in places of study… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Job Advertisements
How a position is advertised is crucial to attracting the right sort of people for the job. A good advertisement will focus exclusively on the essential skills and abilities needed to do the job. Only refer to personal characteristics, such as age, sex, marital status or race, if they are part of the genuine requirements of the job. A discriminatory advertisement can limit the range of… -
Disability Rights
2 July 2014Speech
National Press Club address
(check against delivery) I acknowledge the traditional owners of this land. I do so not as a formulaic beginning, but as a sincere recognition of the place which the land holds in the lives and culture of our first Australians. I saw much of the disadvantage Aboriginal people experience during my time as Race Discrimination Commissioner, and fail to understand why - at a time when we are… -
Employers19 February 2015Quick Guide
Unjustifiable Hardship
People with disabilities can face significant barriers in many parts of their lives, including getting into and staying in the workforce and accessing public buildings and facilities. The Disability Discrimination Act makes it against the law to discriminate against people with disabilities in many areas of public life, including employment, using goods and services and accessing public… -
Disability Rights
14 December 2012Speech
Opportunity knocks
I follow this custom wherever I go to speak in public. I think recognising Australia ' s indigenous peoples and their prior ownership of this land in this way is more than just good manners. It is an important part of recognising our diversity as a nation. -
Legal
27 September 2016Publication
Federal Discrimination Law 2016
Explore the 2016 edition of Federal Discrimination Law, produced by the Australian Human Rights Commission and LexisNexis. Learn about federal unlawful discrimination laws and significant case issues. -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Human Rights
Human rights are based on the principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect. Human rights recognise the inherent value of each person, regardless of their background, where they live, what they look like, what they think or what they believe. People’s human rights are respected when they are treated fairly and have the ability to make genuine choices in their daily lives. The operations… -
Employers18 February 2015Quick Guide
Job Sharing
Job sharing is a flexible work arrangement where one job is done by more than one person. It can be an option if employees want to work part-time but the job that is available needs to be worked on a full-time basis. Example: One employee works part-time and does the job on Monday and Tuesday and another employee does the same job, also working part-time, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday… -
Legal
14 December 2012Webpage
Inquiry into the effectiveness of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) in eliminating discrimination and promoting gender equality (2008)
(1) Support a two-stage inquiry process for the SDA, with some amendments made now to the existing law (Recommendations), and the rest completed within three (3) years (Options for Reform)