By Matthew Sims
WEstjustice has expanded its employment law services to be able to provide legal assistance to clients experiencing discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace.
The not-for-profit community legal centre providing free legal help, financial counselling, legal education and support to people in the western suburbs of Melbourne has partnered with Victoria University’s Sir Zelman Cowen Centre (SZCC) to launch the new Equality Law Service, which would target those from diverse backgrounds who live, study or work in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Funded by the National Legal Assistance Partnership, the WEstjustice program would provide free and confidential legal advice to clients and deliver community legal education to communities on their workplace rights.
WEstjustice recently helped two women who were sexually harassed at their workplace complain to their employers and negotiate an outcome which addressed their needs.
Olga* was one of the only women in her workplace and was subject to unwelcome comments about her looks and received unwelcome sexual advances from her male colleagues.
Nyala* was sexually harassed by the owner of the business at which she worked, including him touching her arms and legs and telling her she could only keep her job if she slept with him.
WEstjustice Employment and Equality Law Program legal director Jennifer Jones said the program would empower individuals who may not be able to advocate for their legal rights.
“While sexual harassment has been in the news regularly since the Me Too movement, our clients’ experiences are often invisible,” she said.
“They are engaged in secure work, are unaware of their rights, experience multiple forms of discrimination and as a result, are afraid to complain.”
SZCC executive director Nyadol Nyuon OAM said the centre would provide ongoing support to WEstjustice throughout the program.
“We will be developing advocacy areas,” she said.
“We will be working out how we get community voices to the advocacy spaces.”
*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality
