Is it time for you to get a job in Australia? If it is your first, you should get prepared and well acquainted with the employment laws and regulations, so as to be absolutely sure you know how to protect your own rights and thus stay happy in your new workplace. Of course, this goes for those people that are changing jobs as well, since everyone needs work on protecting their own interests. If wondering how to actually find a great job in Australia, this should help.
One of the things you should absolutely keep in mind when aiming at finding the perfect job, is equality. A human right that everyone has and that should never be taken for granted. Not being treated fairly during the employment process, and afterwards as well, and possibly getting rejected for a job you’d be a perfect fit for due to some personal attributes, including race, sexual orientation or gender, is not only wrong, but also illegal in this country.
Put simply, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against you both when you start working and when you apply for a certain position. Everyone deserves equal employment opportunities, and understanding that will give you much more power when it comes to protecting your own rights, as well as much more knowledge on what constitutes normal behaviour from an employer and what could be considered discriminatory. So, let’s understand what equal employment opportunity actually means and how you can EEO your career and ensure fair treatment.
What Is an Equal Employment Opportunity?
Basically, EEO means that every person should have equal access to job opportunities, based on merit. It entails that nobody should be discriminated against or treated unfairly when applying for a job and after starting to work on a certain position. Apart from ensuring everyone is safe and comfortable in the workplace, this also helps create diversity in Australian workplace settings, putting a stop to discrimination based on age, sex, race, religion, disability and similar things.
Here’s an overview of EEO: https://business.gov.au/people/employees/equal-opportunity-and-diversity
There are several pieces of legislation in Australia that aim at ensuring equal opportunities for all employees. Including, but not limited to, those federal level legislation pieces such as:
- The Racial Discrimination Act 1975
- The Sex Discrimination Act 1984
- The Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- The Age Discrimination Act 2004
The AHRC, that is, the Australian Human Rights Commission, holds the power to enforce the legislation. Meaning, if a person feels they are being discriminated against or treated unfairly, which is in contradiction with those acts mentioned above, and some other legislation pieces as well, they can lodge a complaint with this Commission. From there, the AHRC will investigate and take necessary action towards ensuring fair treatment in the future.
Equal Employment Opportunity is basically a positive reinforcement for both employers and employees. The more diverse workplace that will be created this way will gather people from different cultures and backgrounds, as well as reduce discrimination and bullying. Thus, keeping employees safe and happy in the workplace, which helps employers retain them. Plus, a positive atmosphere that will be a result of fair treatment will also increase employee productivity, which is important for every business out there.
As the employee, you’ll feel much better and safer working in an environment that doesn’t discriminate against people based on their personal attributes. You’ll start by having more employment options right away, since you won’t be treated unfairly when applying for a certain job. And then, employers won’t be able to demote you or take some other adverse actions, such as disciplinary proceedings, against you based on those attributes that are covered by these laws.
When drafting an EEO policy, employers should focus on covering all the critical areas and on ensuring they are in compliance with all the important laws. Employees, on the other hand, should be aware of their own rights, so as to be able to identify if they are being discriminated against, and so as to know which actions to take next should they notice unfair treatment. Getting better informed on your rights will prevent you from unknowingly falling victim to any types of unfair treatment and discrimination.
EEO Your Career
So, as an employee, you have to do your best so as to EEO your career, so to speak. Meaning, you should get a clear understanding of all of your rights and of the Equal Opportunity Employment principle in general, so that you can advance in your career without being held back by employers that could be trying to discriminate against you for one reason or another. Learning about EEO and understanding everything you have to know about the important Acts and regulations that the employers have to adhere to will certainly give your career a boost, as you’ll start feeling more confident when applying for the jobs you like, as well as when applying for promotions and generally looking to advance.
Now, while you understand the significance of learning about EEO, you’re most probably wondering how you can actually do that. The great news is, there is a systematic and organized approach to the learning process, meaning you can get basically all the info you need if you simply find the right sources of information and the right courses that can teach you everything you need to know about EEO. So, put simply, you have to focus on finding a great course so as to get properly informed.
The course you select should teach you what EEO is, which legislation applies to it, what is considered unlawful and discriminatory behaviour, how an organization should handle internal complaints, as well as what happens if you file an external complaint. Basically, with a great course, you’ll learn the ins and outs of this concept, thus getting prepared to protect your own rights in the workplace, as well as during the process of applying for one job or another. So, what you should do right now is start searching for the perfect course offered by the right providers, improve your knowledge on the topic and EEO your career.