The PsychProof Newsroom

HRD Australia reported on a Fair Work Commission decision from June 15, 2026, where a worker's general protections claim, which involved allegations of workplace bullying and questioning compliance, was dismissed on the preliminary issue of whether a dismissal had occurred.

On June 24, 2026, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia dismissed a supervisor's general protections claim, affirming his dismissal for bullying an employee with a disability. The court highlighted the importance of contemporaneous documentation and credibility in such cases.

An article discussing key requirements for Australian psychological health and safety policies in 2026, referencing the Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 in Victoria and SafeWork NSW enforcement actions from 2025.

A Federal Circuit and Family Court decision (Mejia v Capital City Cafe-Bar [2026] FedCFamC2G 468) ordered a total of $90,000 to be paid by a Canberra café owner and director for unlawful sexual harassment and multiple contraventions of the Fair Work Act. This ruling emphasizes that sexual harassment is a significant governance and compliance risk for employers.

New research across 22 jurisdictions reveals Canada lags Australia on preventing work-related psychological injuries. Australia's consistency stems from Safe Work Australia, which developed a national code of practice now adopted by every state and territory. Australian jurisdictions have also largely abandoned individual resilience-building as a primary strategy, and are now focused on organizational-level interventions.

A former intern is suing EY Australia in the Federal Court, alleging victimisation after reporting sexual harassment by a manager; the intern claims she was barred from participating in a workplace culture review.

A former senior executive at Woolworths has filed a Federal Court action alleging workplace bullying, excessive working hours (up to 90 hours per week), and a culture of favouritism, leading to constructive dismissal in February 2025. The executive alleges being publicly belittled by a managing director and paid significantly less than a male colleague in a comparable role.

At the end of February, SafeWork SA introduced a new Code of Practice to assist workplaces to better manage psychosocial hazards in South Australia, in line with the Work Health and Safety (Psychosocial Risks) Amendment Regulations 2023 that came into effect on 25 December 2023.

From 1 July 2026, NSW PCBUs must comply with approved Codes of Practice — including the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code — or prove they meet an equivalent or higher standard.

The Industrial Relations and Other Legislation Amendment (Workplace Protections) Act 2025 (NSW) allows unions to commence civil penalty proceedings under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) from 1 March 2026, increasing the chances of litigation related to psychosocial hazards where systems don't clearly show risk identification, assessment, and control. Employers must have a justifiable, systematic strategy, conduct official psychosocial hazard risk assessments, and develop practical control measures.