Safe Work Australia has published a model Code of Practice: Sexual and gender-based harassment. The model Code provides practical guidance for persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) on how to eliminate or minimise the risk of sexual and gender-based harassment at work. It will help you meet your WHS duties.

PCBUs must take a proactive, consultative and preventative approach to sexual and gender-based harassment, whether it comes from colleagues, customers or the public, and whether it’s online or in person. You must identify and assess the risks, eliminate or minimise them so far as is reasonably practicable, and review your control measures to make sure they're working as planned. Managing the risks may mean changing the layout of your workplace, redesigning the work or the way you do it – training and policies alone are not effective or reliable controls.

You must consult your workers on the risks of sexual and gender-based harassment as well as other psychosocial hazards.

The model Code should be read and applied alongside the model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work. Sexual and gender-based harassment often occurs with other psychosocial hazards and PCBUs must consider the interaction between these hazards when managing risks to the health and safety of workers and others.

Download the model Code of Practice: Sexual and gender-based harassment.