We’re proud to work with the Australian Services Union (ASU) and The Women Lawyers’ Association of SA to co-present a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) session on sexual harassment prevention in the legal profession.

In 2021 the Equal Opportunity Commission conducted a review of harassment in the South Australian legal profession and found high levels of sexual harassment. The report found that 33% of legal practitioners had been sexually harassed at work, with 83% harassed on multiple occasions.

That report recommended changes to the CPD scheme and now requires all practitioners to undertake a mandatory CPD unit this compliance year, covering bullying and harassment.

Email union@asu-sant.asn.au   to RSVP for subsidised drinks and nibbles.

In the first 12 years of their child’s life, most women’s careers, finances and ability to participate in the workplace is seriously undermined by the rolling inequities in law and public policy about parenting and family. 

The Working Women’s Centre SA invites Professor Rae Cooper and Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill, two pre-eminent experts in the world of women, family, and work, to discuss how public policy and legislation effects women, work, and families.  

We will discuss the big-ticket public policies that rule the first 12 years of parenting: 

• Parental leave; 

• Childcare; and 

• Flexible working arrangements 

We are going to examine these public policies and laws and ask the following questions: 

• Why do women end up with the biggest share of parenting responsibilities in most families?  

• Why is childcare so hard to access? Why is it so expensive?  

• Why are women still made to feel like they must choose between having a career and having kids? 

• Why is it that it’s mostly women taking parental leave? What rights do we have and how can we improve the system?  
• What is holding us back from universal access to parental leave? How do we ask men to share the leave and parenting responsibilities?  

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/lunch-time-webinar-babies-bosses-and-the-9-5-tickets-205469022377

We acknowledge that this event will be streamed on Kaurna land and we pay our respect to the traditional custodians of the land, past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded.

About this event

Can you really report instances of sexual harassment in your workplace when you risk losing your job?  How does job security help to protect workers from sexual harassment and gendered violence?  

Come along to our upcoming panel event about The Protective Power of Job Security. Our guest speakers will discuss how violence against women is linked to casualisation and how we can prevent violence by increasing access to job security.  

Our panellists: 

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young: Senator for South Australia. 

Tanya Hosch: 2021 South Australian of the Year, and the Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy at the AFL. 

Gemma Beale: Writer and a PhD Candidate at Flinders University, with a focus on insecure work and a passion for economic justice. 

Details:

The panel discussion will go until 7.30, after which attendees are invited to stick around to chat. Drinks will be available for purchase.

This event is possible due to a grant from the Government of South Australia, Department of Human Services, as part of the COVID-19 National Partnership – Domestic Violence Funding.

We acknowledge that this event will be held on Kaurna land and we pay our respect to the traditional custodians of the land, past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded. 

About the topic:  

CONTENT NOTE: this event will involve a discussion on sexual harassment, domestic and family violence and sexual assault.  

The Respect@Work Report (2020) outlines that 1 in 3 Australians have experienced sexual harassment at work, ranging from serious offences like sexual assault and rape, to inappropriate comments and sexist slurs.  

At the Working Women’s Centre, our staff regularly provide advice and support for workers who have experienced workplace sexual harassment. Many of these workers are working in insecure jobs, such as casual or fixed-term contracts.

Our staff have observed that workers are often unable to resist or report sexual harassment due to the risk of losing their job. Gender inequality is proven to be the most significant driver of violence against women and workplace sexual harassment. We have the opportunity to prevent violence by collectively working to increase access to job security.   

The Working Women’s Centre is proud to hold a panel event about job insecurity and its connection with gendered violence. In this event, we well hear from three fantastic speakers, each sharing their personal experience and expertise on the topic. The event is also the launch of a new project to improve job security as a protective factor against violence.  

We hope to see you there! 

The Working Women’s Centre SA recovered over $500,000 for workers in just one financial year. While this is a great achievement, it is only a fraction of what is owed to hard working South Australians. We know, more than most, that wage theft is hitting women and migrant workers the hardest.

The Working Women’s Centre has teamed up with National Union of Students Welfare Department, (FUSA Flinders University Student Association, USASA UniSA Student Association, Adelaide University Student Representative Council, Adelaide Young Christian Workers – YCW & The Young Workers Legal Service to present this webinar.

We recognise that many international students are working casually, often well below the minimum wage and can be at greater risk of exploitation by their employer.

The webinar will help answer some of your questions such as:

 What are my basic workplace entitlements?

 What should I expect from my employer?

 I am being underpaid, what do I do?

 What rules does my employer have to follow? What about me?

 Where can I get more information?

 I have been working more than 20 hours a week, can I still complain?

Is this a positive change?
Does WFH finally give women the flexibility we have been fighting for?
How do we navigate WFH when our own home is not safe?
What about work, health and safety? What about the costs of running a home office?
Will WFH be optional in the future? Should it be? Will more time in the home, increase our care work?
What types of workers get to WFH? Do you have to let your employer into your home? Will work hours increase? What on earth are we doing about childcare?

Working from Home: Risks and Rewards: An online panel conversation about gender and labour, while working from & in the home.

The Working Women’s Centre (WWC) was established by the SA Trades Union Movement in 1979, in order to provide specialised assistance to vulnerable women in the workplace. Over the years the WWC has fought hard, through being de-funded, funding cuts and re-funded, to maintain its role in providing vulnerable women and workers assistance for 40 years.

The 10th Annual South Australian Women’s and Gender Studies Public Lecture is an annual event that draws together academics, community organisations and community members. Each year a leading researcher speaks on an issue that is timely and of interest beyond the academy.

About Professor Kathleen Riach

The Victorian Productivity Commission says 13% of people have done ‘gig work’ in the last 12 months.