Unfortunately this story is not an isolated incident. It is the most vulnerable—women, overseas students, people with English as a second language, those that have no option but to work in insecure and exploitative employment—that are victims to unscrupulous employers. There needs to be significant negative consequences not only for employers and contractors that exploit employees, but also for the companies that work with contractors who profit from illegal and exploitative practice. The defence ‘we didn’t know’ is not acceptable. For any company considering contracting out work, due diligence must include ensuring that selected labour hire firms or contractors pay their staff at legal rates and follow established OH&S practices. Insecure work: vulnerability to family violence Women experiencing domestic violence are often disadvantaged and vulnerable in the labour market.10 “Women affected by domestic violence are also more likely to have a disrupted work history and more likely to occupy casual and part-time work than women with no experience of violence.” 11 Financial abuse in the context of family violence takes many forms but includes preventing a person from seeking or keeping employment. WIRE’s 2014 research into financial abuse, ‘Relationship problems and money: women talk about financial abuse’,12 highlighted the issue of employment. Many women were prevented from working whilst in the abusive relationship or had no control over how their income was spent. For many the experience of family violence and financial abuse created a significant barrier to obtaining and maintaining secure employment. Domestic Violence in Australia an overview of the issues, 22 November 2011, Australian Parliamentary Library 10 Domestic Violence in Australia an overview of the issues, 22 November 2011, Australian Parliamentary Library 11 Relationship Problems and Money: Women talk about Financial abuse, Cameron Prue (2014) 12
Unfortunately this story is not an isolated incident. It is the most vulnerable—women, overseas students, people with English as a second language, those that have no option but to work in insecure and exploitative employment—that are victims to unscrupulous employers. There needs to be significant negative consequences not only for employers and contractors that exploit employees, but also for the companies that work with contractors who profit from illegal and exploitative practice. The defence ‘we didn’t know’ is not acceptable. For any company considering contracting out work, due diligence must include ensuring that selected labour hire firms or contractors pay their staff at legal rates and follow established OH&S practices. Insecure work: vulnerability to family violence Women experiencing domestic violence are often disadvantaged and vulnerable in the labour market.10 “Women affected by domestic violence are also more likely to have a disrupted work history and more likely to occupy casual and part-time work than women with no experience of violence.” 11 Financial abuse in the context of family violence takes many forms but includes preventing a person from seeking or keeping employment. WIRE’s 2014 research into financial abuse, ‘Relationship problems and money: women talk about financial abuse’,12 highlighted the issue of employment. Many women were prevented from working whilst in the abusive relationship or had no control over how their income was spent. For many the experience of family violence and financial abuse created a significant barrier to obtaining and maintaining secure employment. 10 Domestic Violence in Australia an overview of the issues, 22 November 2011, Australian Parliamentary Library 11 Domestic Violence in Australia an overview of the issues, 22 November 2011, Australian Parliamentary Library 12 Relationship Problems and Money: Women talk about Financial abuse, Cameron Prue (2014)
Submission-Womens-Information-and-Referral-Exchange.docx