Bullying – Fair Work Australia
What is bullying at work?
Bullying at work happens when a person or a group of people repeatedly behaves unreasonably towards one or more workers at work. The behaviour must also create a risk to health and safety.
Bullying does not include reasonable management action.
Learn more about when a worker is bullied at work and reasonable management action in the Commission’s Anti-bullying benchbook.
What can the Fair Work Commission do?
The Commission can help people resolve disputes about bullying at work by agreement. Commission Members can also make a binding and final decision about whether there is bullying at work and make orders to stop bullying at work if there is a risk of it continuing.
Orders can include:
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- requiring the people involved to stop the bullying
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- a direction to comply with, or review, the employer’s bullying policy
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- requiring workers be provided with further information, additional support and training.
Commission Members cannot make orders for compensation. You can find out more about anti-bullying on our website.
How to apply
You can apply by sending us a completed Form F72 – Application for an order to stop workplace bullying and lodge it by email, fax or by post.
Before you apply you should make sure you meet the eligibility requirements.
While there is no time limit for applying, a worker must still be exposed to bullying by the same individual or group for the Commission to make an order.
Who else can help deal with bullying at work?
You may also be able to make a complaint to:
Where to get advice
If you need legal advice, the Workplace Advice Service may be able to help. You can also find out where to get legal advice on our website.
We can’t give legal advice, investigate complaints based on tip-offs, or act for a person against another person. This is because we need to be independent to deal with workplace disputes under the Fair Work Act 2009.
Need more information?
If you need more information please visit our website or contact us on 1300 799 675.