How pregnancy discrimination affects women in the workplace
New research identifies how the law could be strengthened to better promote equality at work and address pregnancy discrimination.
While this type of discrimination continues to be prevalent in Australian workplaces, an extremely low number of cases ever reach the courts.
This means women’s experiences of pregnancy discrimination are largely invisible.
Working in collaboration with JobWatch Inc, Monash Business School researchers Associate Professor Dominique Allen and Ms Adriana Orifici interviewed Victorian women who experienced discrimination while pregnant at work, to understand how such discrimination manifests itself and the reasons why women might choose not to pursue a legal claim.
Speakers
The Hon Jaclyn Symes, Attorney-General of Victoria
Ms Symes grew up in Benalla before completing a Bachelor of Laws at Deakin University.
After finishing her law degree, Ms Symes worked as a disability carer before then working as an Industrial Officer at the Australian Services Union to further her legal training. She commenced working for the government as an adviser to Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls and in 2010, she was appointed as Senior Legal and Justice Adviser to then-Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews.
In 2014, Ms Symes was elected Member for Northern Victoria, and became the Upper House Government Whip as well as sitting on the Legal and Social Issues Committee, Independent Broad Based Anti-Corruption Committee, Accountability and Oversight Committee and the Legislative Council Privileges Committee.
She was proud to have been appointed to Daniel Andrews’ 50% female Cabinet following the 2018 election, as Minister for Regional Development, Agriculture and Resources. She was appointed Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council in March 2020.
In December 2020 Ms Symes was appointed as Victoria’s Attorney-General, where she is focused on delivering the Government’s important reform agenda and to continue working towards a just and equitable justice system for all Victorians.
Ms Zana Bytheway, Executive Director, JobWatch Inc
Zana Bytheway is the Executive Director of JobWatch, an employment rights legal centre. Over her 20+ years at JobWatch, Zana has made a significant contribution as a strong advocate for worker’s rights.
A practising lawyer and qualified mediator, Ms Bytheway has a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts and was admitted to practice in 1986. She co-chairs the Law Institute of Victoria’s Workplace Relations Committee, and is an Associate Member of the Respect@Work Council.
She was formerly chair of the Law Institute’s Discrimination Committee; a board member of the Federation of Community Legal Centres; committee member of the RMIT Legal Practice Program Advisory Committee; member and former Advisory Council member of CLCs Australia and an advisory committee member for the RMIT Criminal Record Discrimination Working Party.
Associate Professor Dominique Allen, Monash Business School
Dominique Allen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business Law and Taxation and the Director of the Labour, Equality and Human Rights research group (LEAH) at Monash University.
A/Prof Allen is a socio-legal scholar specialising in anti-discrimination law and equality. She has conducted extensive doctrinal and empirical research on the enforcement of anti-discrimination law, the role of ADR in resolving legal disputes, and the effectiveness of mechanisms designed to address workplace discrimination and promote equality.
She is a co-author of Australian Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Law (The Federation Press) and serves as Secretary of the Australian Labour Law Association.
Ms Adriana Orifici, Monash Business School
Adriana Orifici is a Lecturer in the Department of Business Law and Taxation at Monash Business School and member of the Labour, Equality and Human Rights Research Group (LEAH). She currently teaches employment law to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Ms Orifici is completing her doctoral studies in the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law (CELRL) at Melbourne Law School. Her PhD research examines the legal framework of workplace investigations and uses doctrinal and empirical research methods.
Previously, she worked as a research fellow on an Australian Research Council-funded project in the Melbourne Law School and as a senior lawyer specialising in labour and equality law in Melbourne.
Moderator
Professor Carolyn Sutherland, Head of the Department of Business Law & Taxation, Chair
Organised by
Department of Business Law & Taxation, Monash Business School
Event Details
- Date:
- 7 September 2022 at 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
- Venue:
- The Skyroom - Level 14, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
- Categories:
- Business Law and Taxation; General; Labour Equality and Human Rights Research Group
Description
New research identifies how the law could be strengthened to better promote equality at work and address pregnancy discrimination.
While this type of discrimination continues to be prevalent in Australian workplaces, an extremely low number of cases ever reach the courts.
This means women’s experiences of pregnancy discrimination are largely invisible.
Working in collaboration with JobWatch Inc, Monash Business School researchers Associate Professor Dominique Allen and Ms Adriana Orifici interviewed Victorian women who experienced discrimination while pregnant at work, to understand how such discrimination manifests itself and the reasons why women might choose not to pursue a legal claim.
Speakers
The Hon Jaclyn Symes, Attorney-General of Victoria
Ms Symes grew up in Benalla before completing a Bachelor of Laws at Deakin University.
After finishing her law degree, Ms Symes worked as a disability carer before then working as an Industrial Officer at the Australian Services Union to further her legal training. She commenced working for the government as an adviser to Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls and in 2010, she was appointed as Senior Legal and Justice Adviser to then-Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews.
In 2014, Ms Symes was elected Member for Northern Victoria, and became the Upper House Government Whip as well as sitting on the Legal and Social Issues Committee, Independent Broad Based Anti-Corruption Committee, Accountability and Oversight Committee and the Legislative Council Privileges Committee.
She was proud to have been appointed to Daniel Andrews’ 50% female Cabinet following the 2018 election, as Minister for Regional Development, Agriculture and Resources. She was appointed Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council in March 2020.
In December 2020 Ms Symes was appointed as Victoria’s Attorney-General, where she is focused on delivering the Government’s important reform agenda and to continue working towards a just and equitable justice system for all Victorians.
Ms Zana Bytheway, Executive Director, JobWatch Inc
Zana Bytheway is the Executive Director of JobWatch, an employment rights legal centre. Over her 20+ years at JobWatch, Zana has made a significant contribution as a strong advocate for worker’s rights.
A practising lawyer and qualified mediator, Ms Bytheway has a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts and was admitted to practice in 1986. She co-chairs the Law Institute of Victoria’s Workplace Relations Committee, and is an Associate Member of the Respect@Work Council.
She was formerly chair of the Law Institute’s Discrimination Committee; a board member of the Federation of Community Legal Centres; committee member of the RMIT Legal Practice Program Advisory Committee; member and former Advisory Council member of CLCs Australia and an advisory committee member for the RMIT Criminal Record Discrimination Working Party.
Associate Professor Dominique Allen, Monash Business School
Dominique Allen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business Law and Taxation and the Director of the Labour, Equality and Human Rights research group (LEAH) at Monash University.
A/Prof Allen is a socio-legal scholar specialising in anti-discrimination law and equality. She has conducted extensive doctrinal and empirical research on the enforcement of anti-discrimination law, the role of ADR in resolving legal disputes, and the effectiveness of mechanisms designed to address workplace discrimination and promote equality.
She is a co-author of Australian Anti-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Law (The Federation Press) and serves as Secretary of the Australian Labour Law Association.
Ms Adriana Orifici, Monash Business School
Adriana Orifici is a Lecturer in the Department of Business Law and Taxation at Monash Business School and member of the Labour, Equality and Human Rights Research Group (LEAH). She currently teaches employment law to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Ms Orifici is completing her doctoral studies in the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law (CELRL) at Melbourne Law School. Her PhD research examines the legal framework of workplace investigations and uses doctrinal and empirical research methods.
Previously, she worked as a research fellow on an Australian Research Council-funded project in the Melbourne Law School and as a senior lawyer specialising in labour and equality law in Melbourne.
Moderator