UniSA is committed to eliminating unlawful discrimination and harassment, to advancing equal opportunity and to sustaining an inclusive and respectful culture.
To support this, any concerns regarding inappropriate behaviour, or instances of policies, procedures, codes, or employment agreements not being followed, should be promptly addressed. Guidance is provided in the sections below on ways staff members and, where relevant, members of the University community can raise and resolve concerns and supports available when doing so.
Some behaviours and incidents that occur in the workplace can cross over a number of the University’s policies, procedures and frameworks. If you raise your concern formally, it will be assessed to ensure the appropriate mechanism is used to address the matter.
Unlawful discrimination means treating an individual and/or group in employment and education less favourably because of one or more protected characteristics, including:
Harassment means unwelcome behaviour or language, and/or treating an indivudal less favorably, that has the effect of offending, intimidating or humiliating an individual on the basis of their attributes such as sex, race, disabilty or age, in circumstances which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated that the person harassed would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.
Workplace bullying means the repeated unreasonable ill treatment of a person or a group by another or others, and the behaviour creates a risk to health and safety. It is a form of harassment and discrimination consisting of offensive, abusive, belittling or threatening behaviour directed at an individual or a group in the workplace.
If you have a concern or complaint (Personal Grievance) related to unlawful discrimination, harassment or workplace bullying, you can contact an Equity Contact for information on how to address the matter in accordance with the Discrimination and Harassment Grievance Procedure. You may also wish to consider the other available pathways:
Step 1 - Personal approach
If you feel safe to do so, you can speak with the staff member directly. Some considerations:
Step 2 - Seek assistance to address the matter
Seek assistance from your line manager, or another leader if your line manager is the other party. There are resources and support available to your line manager to assist you to resolve the matter, such as informal mediation. Your line manager can seek further information from the Strategic People Partner as needed.
Step 3 - Raise your concern with the Executive Director: People, Talent & Culture (ED: PTC)
The Consultants in People Central are available to discuss your concern and can assist you to raise your Personal Grievance with the ED: PTC. Alternatively, you are welcome to lodge your Personal Grievance with the ED: PTC directly via email.
You are welcome to have the assistance of a support person as you work through resolving a Personal Grievance.
For managers who are supporting staff in resolving a personal grievance, you may wish to access support and advice through Manager Assist and/or the Strategic People Partnering team, who can work with you to discuss options and strategies to help resolve the matter.
For all staff the following resources may also be of assistance:
A Dispute may arise in relation to matters dealt with by the University of South Australia Enterprise Agreement 2023 (Enterprise Agreement) or the National Employment Standards. The Dispute Resolution Procedure (set out in clause 58 of the Enterprise Agreement) cannot be accessed for decisions about merit selection, promotion, or Staff Grievances.
A dispute lodged in accordance with clause 58 of the Enterprise Agreement must be notified in writing via email to the Executive Director: People, Talent & Culture, including details on the nature of the dispute and potential options for resolution. Parties can be supported, in accordance with the provisions of the Enterprise Agreement, and the following stages should be followed when seeking to resolve a dispute.
Stage 1 - Resolving at a local level
Stage 2 - Discussion with a nominee of the ED: PTC
Stage 3 - Fair Work Commission
Regardless of the above, a staff member may submit the same dispute to any other external agency that is competent to handle the matter. In this instance, the matter will be dealt with according to rules and procedures of the external agency and the matter will cease to be a dispute under the Enterprise Agreement.
Further information and detail can be found in clause 58 of the Enterprise Agreement.
For staff involved in resolving a dispute the Employee Assistance Program is available, as is the Manager Assist service.
A staff member may also be represented in during these stages by a union representative or by another representative as defined by the Enterprise Agreement.
Misconduct occurs when a staff member breaches their obligations under their contract of employment. Examples include but are not limited to, significant breaches of codes of conduct, policies, and other reasonable instructions; breach of the Research Code; and inappropriate use if University property and facilities.
Serious Misconduct means:
Further information and example are available in clause 61 of the University of South Australia Enterprise Agreement 2023 (Enterprise Agreememt)
Concerns about the conduct or behaviour of a staff member may be referred to the Executive Director: People, Talent and Culture (ED: PTC) via email for consideration. The ED: PTC may determine to undertake an investigation or other enquiries as appropriate, to determine a course of action to address the matter.
Further information on the investigation process is available in clause 61.9 of the University of South Australia Enterprise Agreement 2023.
In addition to the information contained above and in the Enterprise Agreement, support is available via:
If a member of the University Community reasonably suspects the occurrence of acts or behaviour which constitutes serious or systemic misconduct, maladministration, or corruption in relation to our operations.
Please see Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing) for more information on how to make a report.
Concerns about research conducted by UniSA researchers - human ethics, animal ethics, biosafety, breaches of the Research Code or more general matters.
Please see Research Integrity for more information on lodging a concern or complaint.
Warning: Due to the subject matter, some of this material may be distressing. If you need support please contact the available support services.
The University has a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment, sexual assault, and victimisation, and will take action to eliminate and prevent sexual harm. All members of the University Community have a responsibility to comply with and demonstrate a proactive commitment to ensure the workplace and study and research environments are respectful, safe, and free from sexual harm.
Sexual assault is an inclusive term used to describe any type of unwanted sexual act inflicted on a person that they have not freely and voluntarily consented to, have withdrawn consent to, or occurs in circumstances where they are incapable of giving free and voluntary consent.
Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advance or request for sexual favours or conduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated and/or intimidated where a reasonable person would anticipate the possibility that reaction in the circumstances.
Sexual harm is the overarching term for any unwanted, behaviour of a sexual nature. Sexual harm includes sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, and any other unwanted sexual behaviour, whether online or in person.
The Sexual Harm Policy and the Sexual Harm Procedure provides further information on what defines sexual assault and sexual harassment.
If you, or someone you know, have been affected by an incident of sexual assault or sexual harassment, support is always available. You can contact a person you trust, and/or a designated first responder, to seek advice and assistance on support available and how to notify the University of an incident.
To notify the University you can lodge your notification online UniSA via the online form can be used by someone who has experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault, or by someone who has witnessed an incident or is a support person for someone who has experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment. If you are reporting on behalf of another person, you must have their consent before you do so.
All complaints of sexual assault and sexual harassment are directed to the Executive Director: People, Talent and Culture and/or the Chief Academic Services Officer, depending on whether the incident relates to a student, a staff member, or a visitor on campus.
Employee Assistance Program: 1300 277 924
Available to staff, immediate family members, and Research Degree Students, this service includes 24/7/365 tele-health consultation service in addition to the face-to-face counselling service.
If you are on a UniSA campus and are concerned about your safety, call Campus Security on 1800 500 911 or 88888 from internal University telephones. UniSA’s Campus Security is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
24/7 Phone Support
National Sexual Assault, Domestic, Family Violence Counselling Service: 1800 737 732
Yarrow Place
Rape & Sexual Assault Service: 1800 817 421
Lifeline
Lifeline is a national charity providing anyone experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. This is a free service which can be accessed by calling 13 11 14.
Information on additional support available can be found here.
Staff grievance means a grievance under clause 57 of the Enterprise Agreement where the staff member is seeking a review of an action or decision that directly affects the staff member’s terms and conditions of employment, which they consider is unfair or unreasonable.
Stage 1 – Informal Staff Grievance Resolution
In the first instance staff are encouraged to discuss and resolve work-related concerns through informal measures and at the local level with their immediate line manager. If the Staff Grievance involves the immediate line manager, discussions will include the line manager’s supervisor.
Informal measures may include exploration of reasonable and practical options to resolve the Staff Grievance and further assisted/facilitated discussions with the staff member.
Stage 2 – Formal Staff Grievance Process
If the matter cannot be resolved informally at Stage 1, the staff member may lodge a formal Staff Grievance in writing via email to the Executive Director: People, Talent and Culture (ED: PTC). The Staff Grievance must outline the staff member’s concerns, the outcomes sought and attach any documentary evidence that the staff member considers will support an understanding of their Staff Grievance.
An Independent Reviewer (from a pool agreed to by the University and the Unions party to the Enterprise Agreement) will be engaged to investigate the Staff Grievance. The role of the Independent Reviewer is to assess the merits of the Staff Grievance and to identify reasonable and practical options to resolve the Staff Grievance (as appropriate). The Independent Reviewer will provide a written report to the ED: PTC within twenty (20) working days of receipt of the Staff Grievance by the Independent Reviewer, unless delayed on reasonable grounds, in which case the report will be provided as soon as practicable. The staff member will be kept informed of the progress of the review.
A staff member may withdraw their Staff Grievance at any time, in writing. In addition, the Enterprise Agreement outlines a range of situations which form the end or dismissal of a Staff Grievance. These details can be found in clauses 57.10 and 57.11 of the Agreement.
A staff member may be represented in these stages by a representative as defined in the Enterprise Agreement. Staff can also access the Employee Assistance Program, and the Manager Assist service is also available for managers.
Further details of the process regarding Staff Grievances can be found in clause 57 of the Enterprise Agreement.
An Academic staff member who believes that the workload assigned to them is inequitable, unreasonable, unbalanced or unsafe, can address their concerns in accordance with clauses 35.32 to 35.35 of the University of South Australia Enterprise Agreement 2023 (Enterprise Agreement):
Step 1 – Discuss with Supervisor and/or Program Director
In the first instance, staff are encouraged to discuss and resolve their workload concerns through informal measures and at the local level with their immediate Supervisor and/or Program Director.
Step 2 – Convene a Workload Reference Group or Nominate an Academic Staff Member
Option A – Workload Reference Group
If the matter cannot be resolved informally at Step 1, the staff member or the Academic Unit can request a workload reference group be convened. A workload reference group may comprise of the Supervisor, Professorial Lead, Program Director, Dean of Programs, or Executive Dean as relevant. The staff member can also choose, to nominate up to two additional academic staff members for inclusion in the workload reference group.
Option B – Nominate an Academic Staff Member
Where a staff member’s concern relates to confidential personal circumstances and they are unable to deal with the matter themselves, the staff member can choose to nominate an academic staff member to resolve their concern on their behalf with relevant members of the Program team or Academic Unit, on a confidential basis.
Step 3 – Refer matter to the Provost & Chief Academic Officer
In the event the workload reference group, or the nominated academic staff member, is unable to achieve a resolution, the matter will be referred to the Provost & Chief Academic Officer.
Additional Information
Further details of the process regarding workload review can be found in clause 35.32-35.35 of the Enterprise Agreement.
A Professional staff member who believes that the workload assigned to them is inequitable, unreasonable, unbalanced or unsafe, are encouraged to utilise the steps below to resolve their concerns (refer clauses 36.12 to 36.19 of the University of South Australia Enterprise Agreement 2023):
Step 1 – Discuss with Line Manager/Supervisor
Option A – Direct Conversation
In the first instance, staff are to discuss the concern with their line manager/supervisor to achieve a resolution at the local level.
Option B – Nominate Another Staff Member
Where a staff member’s concern relates to a confidential personal circumstance, the staff member can choose to nominate another staff member to resolve their concerns with their line manager/supervisor, on a confidential basis.
Step 2 – Refer matter to next level Line Manager/Supervisor
If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily between the staff member and line manager/supervisor, the staff member may refer the matter to the next level line manager/supervisor (or agreed alternative). The following process will apply:
Step 3 – Refer matter to the Head of Unit
If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily between the staff member and next level line manager/supervisor, the matter will be referred to the Head of the Academic or Professional Unit for review. If the staff member’s workload is found to be inconsistent with clause 36.12 of the Enterprise Agreement, appropriate adjustments will be made.
Additional Information and Support
Further details of the process regarding workload review can be found in clauses 36.12-36.19 of the Enterprise Agreement.
The staff member can seek the support of the relevant union at any stage of the process.