Want to know the story behind Justitia's ongoing success in employment law? Tune in to The Boutique Lawyer Show's recent Podcast episode where our Managing Partner, Melissa Scadden, and Founding Partner, Sarah Rey share the elements that fostered a successful law firm! Click here to listen to the full Podcast!

On Saturday morning, we were in a note-taking frenzy when US Professor Anita Hill participated in a Q&A with Trauma Cleaner author and legal academic Sarah Krasnostein. The session was part of this year’s international guest-speaker line up for the Melbourne Writer’s Festival (MWF).

In a landmark move, the Victorian Government has indicated that it will restrict the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of workplace sexual harassment. This follows one of the 26 recommendations made by the Ministerial Taskforce on Workplace Sexual Harassment (Taskforce) investigating the issue. The purpose of the Taskforce was to propose reforms that will “better prevent and respond” to workplace sexual harassment.

You may not be aware that the Equal Opportunity Act has been amended in recent times. Most recently, from 14 June 2022, religious bodies and schools are not allowed to discriminate against people based on their “personal characteristics” of sex, sexual orientation, lawful sexual activity, marital status, parental status or gender identity: in employment decisions or decisions about school students.

The Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022 (Vaccination Regulations) commenced operation on 12 July 2022. The Vaccination Regulations amend the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (OHS Regulations) to provide for the circumstances where an employer may collect,record, hold and use COVID-19

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In mid-2021, the Victorian Government announced it was updating the seven (7) Child Safe Standards (Standards) and replacing them with eleven (11) new Standards. Organisations were given 12 months to prepare and comply with the new Standards.

Victoria is planning to introduce long promised regulations, now in the final stages of consultation. The OHS (Psychological Health) Regulations (PHRegs)are proposed to commence on 1 July 2022.

At our first Justitia Connect event for 2022, we gathered with leading professionals in various industries to participate in an interactive discussion about gender’s intersection with career building. In celebration of International Women’s Day, we welcomed Xara Tran, Sonja Horbelt, and Julia Mason to share their experiences building support networks and forging paths in male dominated industries.

On 16 March 2022, the Industrial Relations Society of Victoria held an event with Fair Work Commissioner McKinnon to learn more about the Fair Work Commission’s (Commission) new sexual harassment jurisdiction. Commissioner McKinnon is the Deputy National Practice Lead for the Commission’s bullying and sexual harassment jurisdiction.

Recent high profile investigations and allegations of proven sexual harassment involving Australian judicial officers, and the public responses from the women at the helm of our superior courts, Chief Justices Kiefel and Ferguson, combined with the advocacy from leaders such as Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins, have helped put sexual harassment well and truly on the agenda for the legal profession.

Justitia partner, Magda Marciniak has been mentoring young women for many years. She was asked by Victorian Women Lawyers about this and explained that to her, mentoring means...

Carla, a non-Indigenous learning designer, and Aunty Munya, an Aboriginal Elder, met in 2011 while working together on a Community Engagement project in remote Western Australia. They knew right away that they shared the same values and vision of a kinder, more inclusive Australia. A value many of us share and that resonates with Justitia! 

Whilst we are off to a flying start, there remains much uncertainty to navigate. How do we transition back to a hybrid workplace and support our team against a very different COVID landscape? How do we foster a positive workplace culture in light of the toll of the last two years?

The COVID-19 pandemic has required many employers to pivot their business and enable their employees to work from home. Employees have needed to learn how to balance work and home life in a completely new way. So how do employers transition their workforce back into the office? And what if employees have medical reasons for not wanting to return to the workplace? 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released new analysis of its latest Personal Safety Survey. The ABS analysis reveals the need for a broader, ongoing conversation about sexual harassment in Australian communities.

Organisations can often overlook providing all the necessary support to their staff during a workplace investigation, which can be disruptive and distressing. When an investigator is first engaged, it is not uncommon for HR practitioners to distance themselves from the parties involved in an effort to reinforce the neutrality of the investigation process.

Some businesses have already entrenched practices about regular testing of staff with Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) where they have to be in a shared workplace or interact with third parties. These businesses will generally have their RAT suppliers secured. However such avenues and attendant costs are not viable for many.

Justitia Spotlight showcases the empowering team behind Justitia Lawyers through a Q&A session conducted by one of Justitia's Legal Research Assistants. Read more about our insightful and inspiring team.

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