It was "disgraceful" for an employer to retain a director on its board after substantiating sexual harassment allegations against him, the Fair Work Commission has found.
It's relatively rare for discrimination claims to proceed to a final hearing at the federal level, but some recent decisions provide "really valuable guidance for employers" on how courts are interpreting these laws, a workplace lawyer says.
The way that many employers approach workplace s-xual harassment training won't change problematic behaviour at work, and can even do more harm than good, a culture specialist warns.
After claiming there was "nothing it could have done" to prevent a manager from s-xually harassing a younger colleague, an employer has been found vicariously liable for his behaviour.
It was "implausible" that a manager would plead guilty to a criminal charge if the allegations underpinning it weren't true, a commission has commented, in finding he also breached workplace harassment laws.
Regulatory and legislative change are creating a stronger framework for gender equality in the workplace, but the struggle to translate policy into practice continues, according to a leader in the space.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
