An inquiry would signal a serious approach to a growing problem in New Zealand
Back in June, a national inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces was announced by the sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins.
Jenkins said the inquiry will provide employees, employers and all members of the public with an opportunity to participate in developing a solution to ensure Australian workplaces are safe and respectful for everyone.
Now there are calls for something in New Zealand so that widespread cultural change can begin.
Indeed, a national “stock take” of workplace sexual harassment would “signal a serious approach to a growing problem in New Zealand”, according to the Public Service Association.
It follows an investigation by Stuff’s #MeTooNZ campaign which has shown the number of sexual harassment complaints in public agencies has doubled since 2015.
PSA National Secretary Erin Polaczuk said this is “deeply concerning” and shows the need for public sector agencies to have “robust systems” in place for dealing with accusations.
“In 2015, the State Services Commission issued guidelines for public agencies about how to prevent and respond to allegations of sexual harassment,” she said.
“The guidelines are good, but we have long-standing concerns about how consistently public agencies are abiding by them.”
Moreover, Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Jackie Blue wants sexual harassment reporting to be mandatory for employers so that “red flag” sectors and workplaces can be identified.
“The PSA would support this, as it would be a step towards ending this kind of behaviour in the workplace,” said Polaczuk.
“It’s not just about having a policy – it needs to be clear that sexual harassment is not tolerated, and that complainants will be supported.
Polaczuk added that the PSA has worked with a number of state sector agencies on improving their policies, and they believe unions have a crucial role to play in promoting safe and healthy workplaces.
“Every employee has the right to go to work every day and do their job without being subjected to unwelcome sexual advances – or indeed any form of bullying,” said Polaczuk.
“I am glad the #MeTooNZ campaign has brought wider attention to this issue, and the importance it has to creating a better working life for all New Zealanders.”
Last month, an initiative to address harmful sexual behaviour in the workforce by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) won the top award at the 2018 Diversity Awards NZ.
Since June 2017, the NZDF rolled out mandatory Sexual Ethics and Respectful Relating (SERR) training to its 11,000 personnel, aiming to create a workforce that is both empowered and prepared to address harmful sexual behaviour.
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