Changes to the WGEA Reporting Requirements

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has introduced significant changes to its reporting requirements for the period covering 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

These changes aim to provide a more comprehensive understanding of gender-related dynamics within organisations and align with recent legislative reforms.

Important for Employers to understand, is that these changes bring with it considerable increased requirements associated with the development of the report and the provision of Employee data.

Reports must be submitted between 1 April, 2024 and 31 May, 2024 and below are the changes that apply to the fast approaching reporting period:

1. Year of birth: Employers must now report the year of birth for each employee in their Workplace Profile.
2. Primary workplace location (Postcode): Employers are required to provide the postcode of an employee’s primary workplace location.
3. Remuneration reporting: Reporting on the remuneration of the CEO or equivalent, Heads of Business, and casually employed managers is now mandatory.
4. Sexual harassment, harassment on the ground of sex or discrimination: Employers will need to report on preventative and accountability measures. This includes information about the frequency of leadership review of policies/strategies; training on sexual harassment; expectations communicated to employees about workplace conduct; workplace health and safety risk management process; supports for employees; and reporting and data collection processes on sexual harassment.
5. Term limits for the governing body: Employers will need to report whether they have set term limits for Chairs and/or Members of the governing body.
6. Targets to address gender equality: Employers will be asked if they set certain targets on gender equality in the Questionnaire.

1. Paid family and domestic violence leave: Employers will be asked voluntary questions about employees taking paid family and domestic violence leave. Information collected will inform the government about the utilisation of this leave in the context of the new entitlement under the Fair Work Act 2009.

These changes in WGEA’s reporting requirements for 2023-24 reflect a commitment to advancing gender equality in Australian workplaces. Employers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these adjustments, ensuring compliance and contributing to the collective effort to create more inclusive and equitable work environments.

It’s important for Employers, who employ over 100 Employees, to understand their reporting obligations, to start planning their report now and to report accurately and in accordance with the required deadlines.

A failure to report, or report accurately, can find Employers in difficult situations including:

• Organisation being named in Parliament;
• Organisations being publicly listed as ‘non-compliant’; and
• Can result in the organisation being ineligible to tender for some Government work and tenders.

Need prompt and practical advice? Please contact us and one of our Workplace Strategists will be in touch within 24 hours.