Workplace Gender Equality Agency
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency is an Australian Government statutory agency created by the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.[1] It provides employers with advice, practical tools and education to help them improve gender equality. Non-public sector employers with 100 or more staff are required to report to the Agency annually, between 1 April-31 May, against six gender equality indicators:
GEI 1 - gender composition of the workforce
GEI 2 - gender composition of governing bodies of relevant employers
GEI 3 - equal remuneration between women and men
GEI 4 - availability and utility of employment terms, conditions and practices relating to flexible working arrangements for employees and to working arrangements supporting employees with family or caring responsibilities
GEI 5 - consultation with employees on issues concerning gender equality in the workplace
GEI 6 - any other matters specified by the Minister: sex-based harassment and discrimination[2]
The Agency uses the data to develop confidential and customised Competitor Analysis Benchmark Reports for employers, that allow them to compare their performance to their peers.
The WGEA dataset is unique, covering 4 million employees or around 40% of the Australian workforce, providing a detailed insight into the state of gender equality in Australian workplaces, and at an industry and sector level.
The WGEA's data is publicly available and searchable at http://data.wgea.gov.au
Key statistics from WGEA's 2014-15 dataset
- Australia's gender pay gap is 24.0% gender pay gap based on full-time total remuneration, and 19.1% based on full-time base remuneration.
- 15.4% of CEOs are women
- 27.4% of Key Management Personnel positions held by women
- 36.5% of managers are women
- 3 out of 4 part-time positions are held by women
- 6.3% of management positions are part-time
- 60.2% of employers have a flexible working policy or strategy
- 20.6% have an overall gender equality strategy
- 34.9% of employers have a domestic violence policy or strategy
Director of the Agency
Libby Lyons was appointed as Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency for a period of five years from October 2015. Prior to joining the Agency, she held senior management roles across the corporate and government sectors in the energy, resources and telecommunications industries. She started her working life as a primary school teacher. She is the granddaughter of Dame Enid Lyons and former Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons.[4]
References
External links
- About the WGEA (wgea.gov.au) Retrieved August 22, 2013
- The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (comlaw)