In Australia, employers must prevent discrimination, harassment and bullying, ensuring all workers and job applicants are treated fairly. WHS laws require safe workplace behaviours, and employers must minimise or eliminate health and safety risks caused by bullying. Safe Work Australia has updated its bullying guidance to help managers and workers prevent and manage this issue.
Australian Bullying Guidelines
Workplace bullying in Australia is defined as repeated unreasonable behaviour that creates a health and safety risk. Employers must take steps to prevent bullying, discrimination and harassment, and ensure all workers and job applicants are treated fairly.
Federal discrimination laws protect people from being discriminated against based on their:
- race, including colour, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status
- sex, pregnancy or marital status
- age
- disability, or
- sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status.
Employers and employees must follow safe work practices under WHS laws. Employers are required to minimise, and where possible eliminate, health and safety risks caused by workplace bullying.
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Source: Safe Work Australia
Title: Guide for preventing & responding to workplace bullying
Read Time: 15-30 minutes
Source: Australian Human Rights Commission
Title: Workplace discrimination, harassment and bullying
Read Time: 5 minutes