19 March 2024
A report exploring the working conditions of pregnant employees and parents has been released today, calling for major changes in Australian workplaces to counter the “vast discrimination and disadvantage” experienced by these groups.
It is the first national review of this group of workers in a decade, undertaken by researchers from the University of South Australia.
The key recommendations of the National Review into Pregnant and Parent Workers Work Conditions and Discrimination include:
The report's lead author is Dr Rachael Potter from the Centre for Workplace Excellence at the University of South Australia (UniSA). It is the outcome of a 2023 study which found that 30 years after it was outlawed in Australia, workplace discrimination is still rife for pregnant women and parents.
Key findings from the 2023 study were:
The report is available for download on this website:
National Review into Work Conditions & Discrimination among Pregnant & Parent Workers in Australia - Research - University of South Australia (unisa.edu.au)
Media contact: Candy Gibson M: 0434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au
Researcher: Dr Rachael Potter E: rachael.potter@unisa.edu.au