Laws Governing EEO

Equal employment opportunity should be available in all areas of employment including recruitment, job allocation, promotion and access to all benefits and Opportunities.

Current laws make it illegal for your employer to discriminate on grounds such as sex, race, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual preference or parental status. There are two main areas of law which operate to ensure that all employees get a fair go.

The Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act, 1986 was established by the Federal Labor Government to ensure that all companies develop and implement policies which ensure fair treatment of men and women at work.

This legislation directs employers to take a number of steps at your workplace to ensure equal employment opportunity, as follows:

• A statement must be issued indicating the company's commitment to equal employment opportunity and its intention to develop an EEO program.
• A senior Officer of the company must be assigned responsibility for the program.
• The company must consult with trade unions and employees about the program.
• The company must collect and record employment statistics.
• All policies and practices must be reviewed to eliminate discrimination.
• The company must set objectives to overcome the problems it has identified.
• The success of the program must be reviewed.

The Sex Discrimination Act 1994 was introduced by the Federal Government to outlaw discrimination based on sex, marital status or pregnancy in both the workplace and other parts of society.

The legislation also prohibits sexual harassment and promotes the principle of equality between men and women, particularly on the job.