STATEMENT

Fair Work Act 2009
s.157 - FWC may vary etc. modern awards if necessary to achieve modern awards objective

Family and domestic violence leave review 2021
(AM2021/55)

Family and domestic violence leave review 2021–research program–draft survey–conference listed.

[1] The Commission is conducting a research program to inform the 2021 review of family

and domestic violence leave terms in modern awards (FDV review). The research program will

include:

1. Literature and data review.

2. Analysis of the Workplace Agreements Database (WAD).

3. A qualitative assessment of the experience of family and domestic violence leave.

4. Survey analysis.

[2] A draft survey was published with a statement on 23 April 2021 1. Interested parties were invited to comment on the draft survey by 13 August 2021.

[3] The Australian Industry Group, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Australian Business Industrial and the NSW Business Chamber (employer parties) filed a joint submission in response to the draft survey. The amendments proposed by the employer parties are set out in the draft survey document published with this Statement.

[4] No other submissions were filed.

[5] Interested parties are invited to comment on the amendments proposed by the employer parties by 4.00 pm on Friday 1 October 2021.

[6] The survey methodology was discussed at a conference on 30 April 2021. The transcript from that conference is available here. At the conference, I proposed the following process for conducting the survey:

•  The survey instrument will be settled in consultation with the parties

•  The survey will be administered via an online platform (the Commission has previously used Alchemer)

•  The Commission will prepare a covering email to explain the purpose of the survey

•  The email and survey link will be distributed by participating employer parties

•  The responses to the survey will be collected by the Commission, and

•  Staff of the Commission will prepare a report which will be published on the Commission’s website.

[7] At the 30 April conference, I noted that response rates to some of the previous Commission surveys has been low and I invited interested parties to consider the proposed methodology and to put forward any suggestions which might assist with the distribution of the survey.

[8] A conference will be convened at 9.30 am on Thursday 7 October 2021. The purpose of the conference will be to settle the drafting of the survey and to discuss the survey methodology.

PRESIDENT

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 1   [2021] FWC 2276.