HESTA has welcomed the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) recommendations with regards to data on superannuation on parental leave.
The WGEA report highlighted the need to do more to address persistent gender inequity in Australian workplaces.
In particular, HESTA welcomed the updating of the gender equality indicators to include whether superannuation was paid by an employer when an employee was on paid, unpaid employer-funded and/or government-funded parental leave, it said.
“Improving gender equality, diversity and fair and equal treatment in the workplace makes a significant contribution to improving our members’ financial security in retirement,” said HESTA chief executive and WGEA Pay Equity Ambassador Debby Blakey.
Earlier this month, the Government released its review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (the WGEA Review), a commitment from the 2021/22 Women’s Budget Statement.
The review sought feedback from across the community to address workplace gender equality while also considering the regulatory requirements of employers.
“The recommendations aim to progress gender equality outcomes in the workforce and streamline the reporting process for business, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw women disproportionately impacted,” Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said.
“It’s clear that we need to proactively address issues in Australian workplaces to enable women to excel and reach their full potential.”
The WGEA Review supported the implementation of the Respect@Work report to prevent and address workplace sex-based harassment and discrimination, in particular recommendation 46 (develop good practice indicators to measure and monitor sexual harassment issues) and recommendation 42 (consider how the indicators apply to WGEA reporting).
