Louise Peters1
1Fair Work Ombudsman, Sydney, Australia
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is an independent statutory office responsible for promoting harmonious, productive and cooperative workplace relations and ensuring compliance with Australia’s workplace laws. The FWO’s free services for employees and employers in Australian workplaces provide people with reliable and timely information about fair work practices, rights and obligations. It also works with stakeholders to build strong and effective relationships and promote compliant workplaces.
The FWO has implemented an International Student Engagement Strategy which aims to increase compliance in Australian workplaces employing international students. The FWO is raising international students’ awareness of the FWO and workplace rights, and building and maintaining productive relationships and active partnerships with key stakeholders.
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) continues to see the deliberate exploitation of international students in Australian workplaces. Workplace exploitation denies international students the experience of an inclusive workplace. Inclusive and fair workplaces are the responsibility of everyone in the community. Workplaces that comply with Australian laws are key to international students’ inclusion in Australian life.
As the workplace regulator, reaching international students working in Australia and improving their employment experiences is a priority for us. We rely on our stakeholders to help us make this a reality. Ensuring international students know where to go for help is a crucial step in enabling them to participate fully at work. Increasing the FWO’s profile in the international student community is central to this.
The successful development and implementation of our International Student Engagement Strategy is in no small part due to our partnerships with international students and those providing them with support such as ISANA and ANZSSA.
Join the FWO as we discuss what we have done to address the barriers international students face both at work and in getting help in cases of workplace exploitation. We will outline how we are contributing to the success of students and how, by working together with them and their stakeholders in the design and development of our Strategy, we have been enabling international students and helping to build fair and inclusive workplaces.
Biography:
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is an independent statutory office responsible for promoting harmonious, productive and cooperative workplace relations and ensuring compliance with Australia’s workplace laws. The FWO’s free services for employees and employers in Australian workplaces provide people with reliable and timely information about fair work practices, rights and obligations. It also works with stakeholders to build strong and effective relationships and promote compliant workplaces.
The FWO implemented an International Student Engagement Strategy to increase compliance in Australian workplaces employing international students. The success of the strategy is in no small part due to our partnerships with international students and those providing them with support.
Louise Peters is the Director of Community Engagement in the FWO’s Strategic Engagement and Stakeholder Relations Branch. She leads a team working to educate and engage with the international student community and deliver outcomes under the International Student Engagement Strategy, which has been a key priority for the FWO.