Changes to the Workplace Gender Equality Act means employers now have less paper work
Regulations around the Workplace Gender Equality Act have been changed which means employers no longer have to undertake such ‘onerous’ paperwork.
The Federal Government has announced it proposes to ease the gender reporting requirements on employers (i.e. who employ over 100 employees) in a move that it claims will cut compliance costs by more than a third.
The new rules won’t take effect until the 2015-16 reporting period.
Under the regime, employers will not be required to report data on aspects such as the remuneration of chief executive officers or equivalent, business and negotiate their own fees and annualised average full-time components of total remuneration.
Australian Public Transport Industrial Association (APTIA) national industrial relations manager Ian Macdonald says this will remove much of the ‘red tape’ from the process.
He says despite the Workplace Gender Equality Agency being relaxed about enforcing paperwork is complete there is still a legal requirement for companies to do so.
If not, businesses run the risk of being named publicly as non-compliant by the agency as well as hindering the chance of being considered for any Commonwealth contracts.
“Operators need to be mindful and aware of the concept of equal opportunity,” he says.
“There is still going to be reporting but it won’t be as onerous as it was under the previous regime.”
The gender equality reporting period runs from April 1 to March 31 and businesses then have two months to lodge reports, which are due between April 1 and May 31.