Anti- Discrimination

Discrimination means treating someone unfairly because they happen to belong to a particular group of people. Unlawful workplace discrimination occurs when an employer takes adverse action against a person who is an employee or prospective employee because of the following attributes of the person. There are 7 pieces of legislation which relate to anti- discrimination: Sex Discrimination Act 1984 Equal Employment Opportunities for Women in the Workplace 1999 Anti- discrimination Act 1977 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 Equal Employment Opportunities Act 1987 Disability Discrimination Act 1992 Age Discrimination Act (2004)

Legislation
1. Sex Discrimination Act (1984) Aims to promote equality amongst the sexes. It aims to eliminate harassment in relation to sex (e.g. marital status, pregnancy). An example of sexual harassment includes: Unnecessary familiarity, such as deliberately brushing up against you or unwelcome touching 2. Anti- Discrimination Act (1977) The Act makes it illegal for individuals to be treated differently based on sex, race, age marital status, sexual preference, disability, careers, responsibility or pregnancy. An example of discrimination can include: discrimination of sex as breastfeeding in public. 3. Equal Employment Opportunities (1987) Exists to ensure that hiring of new employees, an offering promotions to existing employees, is based on merit and without bias. Example somebody cannot get declined of a job because of their race, colour or gender etc. 4. Equal Employment Opportunities for Women in the Workplace Act (1999) Exists to ensure equal employment and eliminate discrimination of women. It is also the identifications and elimination of discriminatory barriers that cause inequality in the employment of any person or group of persons. Example includes if flight attendant is a woman and she falls pregnant, she is put in a ground job and gets less pay. 5. Racial Discrimination Act (1992) Designed to eliminate unfair treatment or harassment due to a disability or perceived disability. Example includes: an advertisement for a job which states that people from a certain ethnic group cannot apply 6. Disability Discrimination Act (1992) Covers people with a disability who may be discriminated against such as access to laws and programs when seeking information on government entitlements, trying to access government programs etc. They maybe also discriminated if they are accompanied by an assistant, trained animal such as a guide or hearing dog and if they use equipment or an aid such as a wheelchair or hearing aid. 7. Age Discrimination Act (2004) Makes it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of age in employment, education, access to goods and premises, services and facilities, education, accommodation and requests for information. Specifications or statements in job notices or advertisements of age preference and limitations are illegal in the Age Discrimination Act.