Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan QLD: Key Requirements for Employers

Are you a Queensland employer without a written sexual harassment prevention plan? If so, this is essential information for you.

As of March 2025, Queensland businesses are legally required to have a written sexual harassment prevention plan under the Work Health and Safety (Sexual Harassment) Amendment Regulation 2024. This new requirement applies to all Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBUs), meaning all employers must comply.

What Does the New Law Require?

Under Queensland’s workplace health and safety laws, employers have a duty of care to protect workers and others from risks, including sexual harassment and sex or gender-based harassment.

The prevention plan must:

1. Identify risks and control measures for workplace sexual harassment.
2. Outline strategies to reduce risks from both colleagues and third parties, such as customers or clients.
3. Consider workplace factors that increase risk, including the diversity of the workplace, worker characteristics (e.g., gender, age), and environmental factors (e.g., alcohol in the workplace).

The explanatory note to the new legislation acknowledges that certain groups—including women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, people with disabilities, and migrant workers—may face an increased risk of workplace harassment.

Developing a Sexual Harassment Prevention Plan

To meet legal requirements, a PCBU must prepare and implement a written plan that outlines how they will assess and manage risks related to unlawful harassment.

Your plan must include:

1. Control measures already in place and those being introduced.
2. The consultation process undertaken with employees and stakeholders.
3. Clear procedures for reporting and addressing workplace harassment.

Additionally, employers must:

• Ensure the plan is easy to understand and accessible to all employees.
• Take reasonable steps to communicate the plan and its availability to staff.

Reviewing the Prevention Plan

Employers must review the plan:

• Every three years, or
• After an incident of reported harassment, or
• Upon request from a health and safety committee or representative.

Where Can Employers Find a Template?

WorkSafe Queensland has provided a template prevention plan, along with an example of a completed plan and additional guidance for compliance. Employers are encouraged to use this official template to meet regulatory requirements.  Click here to learn more and download templates.

How Is This Different from a Sexual Harassment Policy?

A sexual harassment policy is designed to inform workers about what constitutes sexual harassment, reinforce that it is not acceptable in the workplace, outline the process for filing a complaint, and detail the support available to those affected.

A sexual harassment prevention plan, on the other hand, is a documented strategy that outlines how a PCBU identifies, assesses, and manages the specific risks of sexual harassment within their workplace, as well as the measures put in place to mitigate these risks.

What Are the Penalties for Non-Compliance?

Failure to have a sexual harassment prevention plan in place can result in fines of up to 60 penalty units ($9,679 at the time of implementation). Regulatory bodies may also issue:

• On-the-spot fines
• Improvement notices
• Prohibition notices for non-compliance.

Next Steps for Employers

If you haven't yet prepared your sexual harassment prevention plan, now is the time to act. Using the WorkSafe Queensland template is a great starting point to ensure compliance with these new legal obligations.

👉 ABIC Clinic/Salon/Spa members can seek professional HR support to ensure their businesses meet all necessary requirements.  Contact the HR Advisory team today on 1300 038 217.