Retaining and Improving the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 - Building Gender Balanced Business

The Australian government has committed to retaining and improving both the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act and the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. Reforms will include improved coverage, streamlined reporting, strengthened compliance, industry assistance, and name changes for both the Act and the Agency.

Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act will be renamed Workplace Gender Equality Act

Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency will be renamed Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The coverage of the Act will be improved by:

• broadening to encompass men and women, especially as regards caring responsibilities
• requiring employers at organizations with more than 100 employees to report on the gender composition of their boards
• giving companies with less than 100 employees access to the Agency’s advice, education, and incentive activities

Reporting will be made simpler and more transparent:

• Businesses will be able to report online
• Organizations will no longer be required to develop workplace programs
• Employers will report against a set of gender equality indicators, focusing on outcomes for men and women in the workplace
• CEOs and employees representatives will have to sign off on reports, and these reports will be accessible to employees and shareholders

Compliance will be made stronger and fairer:

• The Agency will be able to conduct organizational reviews to check the accuracy of reports
• Industry-level benchmarks and demonstrating progress over time will be important elements of compliance
• Non-compliant organizations will be named in Parliament and beyond
• More effective measures for ensuring the government only deals with organizations in compliance with the Act will be put into legislation

The Agency will enhance its role in supporting and advising the industry by:

• developing benchmarks and strategies for achieving equality
• providing advice, resources, and referrals, including through mobile support teams
• developing, maintaining, and reporting on the data it collects across business, government, and the community

The new legislation will be developed this year, with a view to making the first reports under the new system due in 2013

The government and the Agency will work with businesses to ensure a smooth transition