Work Health and Safety (Sexual and Gender-based Harassment) Code of Practice 2025 (Cth)

Work Health and Safety (Sexual and Gender-based Harassment) Code of Practice 2025

I, Murray Watt, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, approve the following Code of Practice.

Dated 5 March 2025

Murray Watt Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

Contents 1 Name........................................................3 2 Commencement.................................................3 3 Authority......................................................3 4 Definitions.....................................................3 5 Code of Practice Approval...........................................3

1 Name

This instrument is the Work Health and Safety (Sexual and Gender-based Harassment) Code of Practice 2025.

2 Commencement

This instrument commences on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

3 Authority

This instrument is made under section 274 (Approved Codes of Practice) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

4 Definitions

In this instrument:

WHS Act means the Work Health Safety Act 2011.

WHS Regulations means the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011.

5 Code of Practice Approval

1. I approve the Work Health and Safety (Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment) Code of Practice 2025. I am satisfied that the code of practice was developed by a process described in subsection 274(2) of the WHS Act.

Work Health and Safety (Sexual and Gender-based Harassment) Code of Practice 2025

Contents Foreword.................................................................6 1. Introduction............................................................7 1.1 What is sexual and gender-based harassment?..........................7 1.2 Where may sexual and gender-based harassment occur?..................7 1.3 What might sexual and gender-based harassment look like?................8 1.4 Who is affected?...................................................9 1.5 Impacts of sexual and gender-based harassment........................11 1.6 WHS duties......................................................11 2. Risk management process...............................................14 2.1 Consulting throughout the risk management process.....................15 3. Identifying sexual and gender-based harassment...........................18 3.1 Methods of identifying sexual and gender-based harassment...............19 4. Assessing the risks.....................................................24 4.1 Intersectional nature of harassment...................................24 4.2 Interaction with other psychosocial hazards.............................25 5. Controlling the risk.....................................................26 5.1 Duration, frequency and severity.....................................27 5.2 Interaction of psychosocial hazards...................................27 5.3 Design of work, including job demands and tasks........................27 5.4 Systems of work, including how work is managed, organised and supported...28 5.5 Design and layout, and environmental conditions, of the workplace..........29 5.6 Worker accommodation............................................31 5.7 Plant, substances and structures at the workplace.......................31 5.8 Workplace interactions or behaviours..................................32 5.9 Information, training, instruction and supervision provided to workers........34 6. Maintain and review....................................................37 7. Investigating and responding to reports...................................38 7.1 Nature of investigation.............................................38 7.2 Selecting an investigator............................................39 7.3 Trauma informed approach..........................................39 7.4 Confidentiality....................................................39 8. Leadership and culture..................................................41 8.1 Leadership.......................................................41 8.2 Culture..........................................................42 Appendix A – Gender-based harmful behaviours...............................44 Appendix B – Resources...................................................45