The Society regularly holds CPD sessions on Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment and future CPD sessions on combating bullying, discrimination and harassment in the workplace will be advertised at Law Society | Education and Events. You can also access recordings of selected previously held CPD sessions on bullying, discrimination and harassment at LSSA | CPD Recordings.
The Society's CPD team can also provide training for law firms and their staff on changing workplace culture. Please contact the CPD team on [email protected] for more information about these sessions.
Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), organisations and businesses have a legal duty to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate workplace sex discrimination, sexual harassment and other unlawful behaviour as far as possible. Responding to individual complaints as they arise is no longer enough. The positive duty requires organisations and businesses, regardless of their size or resources, to take proactive (rather than reactive) action.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has published a series of practical guidance materials to help organisations and businesses to understand their responsibilities and the changes they may need to make to satisfy the positive duty. They include guidelines for complying with the positive duty, which outline steps businesses and small businesses can take.
A series of free eLearning courses about the positive duty in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) have been developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission. These courses include:
The Australian Human Rights Commission also provides a free course on Building a culture of accessibility and inclusion.
Following the reports Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession (May 2019) and Beyond Us Too? Regulatory Responses to Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession (May 2022), the International Bar Association has developed e-learning training around combatting bullying, discrimination and harassment in the legal profession. Developed in conjunction with The College of Law Australia, Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession Training is for use by the legal profession to ensure safe, supportive and respectful workplaces for everyone.
The Law Society’s CPD team welcome suggestions for potential speakers and topics from legal practitioners, particularly from individuals who feel they have the experience and ability to make a meaningful contribution to the professional development of the South Australian legal profession.