Australian Employers Network on Disability

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No two people with the same disability type experience disability in the same way.
As an employer, you are not expected to be an expert in disability.  There are resources and services available to you if you require support and advice on questions that emerge when employing a person with disability.

Employment Services

If you are looking at employing a person with disability, or have an employee with disability who requires some assistance or support in their job, there are a number of free services available to assist you.

Australian Government funded employment services provide a national network of community and private organisations dedicated to placing people with disability into employment.

Employment Services are also able to work with you by providing assistance with the recruitment of people with disability and in some instances supporting the employee at work.

· Job Network operates as a no-fee recruitment service with a national network of over 1000 independent recruitment offices.
· Disability Open Employment Services play a specialist role in helping people with disability to prepare for, find and keep a job within the open labour market.  Disability Open Employment Services also provide services directly to employers.
· Vocational Rehabilitation Services play a specialist role in helping people with disability or injury who need rehabilitation services to gain or keep a job.  Vocational Rehabilitation Services also provide services directly to employers.

Job in Jeopardy Assistance

If you have an employee with disability who requires immediate assistance or support to keep their job, you may be able to receive assistance from a Disability Open Employment Service or Vocational Rehabilitation Service. 

Job in Jeopardy can help by providing you with support and assistance to ensure that your employee maintains their job, including assistance with job design and structure and workplace adjustments. 
Intermittent Support

If you have an employee with disability who has been placed into your organisation and received assistance from a Disability Open Employment Service, then you may be able to receive ‘Intermittent Support’ from that service. 

Intermittent support from your Disability Open Employment Service can help by providing you or your employee with very short term support to assist the employee in their job.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)

HREOC is an independent statutory organisation established under Commonwealth legislation. It administers a number of federal anti-discrimination acts and provides information on the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) covering:
· recruitment processes
· hiring decisions
· terms and conditions of employment
· promotion, transfer, training or other benefits
· termination, demotion or retrenchment.

HREOC also provides information and practical cases studies on:
· an employer’s obligations
· definitions and examples of direct and indirect discrimination and harassment
· questions employers may ask about a person’s disability and examples of reasonable adjustment and unjustifiable hardship
· OH&S requirements under the DDA
· recruitment processes
· voluntary work.

HREOC provides confidential assessment and conciliation when individuals lodge complaints of discrimination, and makes referrals to the Federal Court when conciliation is not successful.

Access the HREOC website at http://www.humanrights.gov.au.

State Based Anti-Discrimination Boards

State based anti-discrimination boards promote anti-discrimination and equal opportunity principles and policies under state based laws.  They handle complaints and provide an enquiry service for people who want to know about their rights or responsibilities.

The boards also educate people about their rights and responsibilities under anti-discrimination laws through consultations, education programs, seminars, talks, community functions.  They disseminate written information and provide information on their websites.

NSW Anti Discrimination Board
Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria
Anti Discrimination Commission Queensland
Equal Opportunity Commission Western Australia
Equal Opportunity Commission South Australia
Northern Territory Anti Discrimination Commission
ACT Human Rights Office
Tasmania Office of the Anti Discrimination Commissioner

Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)

State based OH&S authorities administer occupational health and safety legislation. Information about employers’ responsibilities to provide safe workplaces can be accessed on the following websites:
ACT WorkCover
WorkCover New South Wales
Workplace Health & Safety Queensland
NT WorkSafe
WorkCover South Australia
Workplace Standards Tasmania
Victorian WorkCover Authority
WorkCover Western Australia