Workplace Challenges in Faith: Navigating Law, Reform, and Mental Health in Religious Institutions – recorded mini series
About the
Conference Highlights Series
Religious institutions face a rapidly evolving landscape of workplace laws and reforms. Navigating this complex patchwork can leave institutions exposed to legal risks, compliance challenges, and increasing pressures to safeguard the mental health of their workforce. Our three-part webinar series, presented by leading experts in the field, provides practical guidance to help you stay compliant and protect your organization. From understanding recent discrimination and employment law reforms to implementing effective mental health strategies, these sessions will equip you with the knowledge to confidently manage workplace risks and responsibilities.
The sessions were all delivered at our 6th Annual Law of Religious Institutions conference in October 2024.
The Programs
Program 1: The Freedom to Discriminate? Navigating Australia's Patchwork Quilt of Law Reforms
In 2024, the Australian Law Reform Commission released its report, Maximising the Realisation of Human Rights: Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-discrimination laws, which recommended revising the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984. Bipartisan support for the legislation has not been forthcoming. So where to now? This session will examine the potential narrowing of religious freedoms in the context of state and territory laws, including:
- What is religious freedom anyway? The role of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- Maintaining religious ethos and faith tenets: What are the current freedoms afforded to educational institutions to maintain their religious ethos
- The role of balancing clauses in existing discrimination laws
- Proposed changes to the Queensland and New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Acts and the narrowing of religious exceptions
- Challenges for religious institutions operating with patchwork quilt of regulatory obligations
- What are the current freedoms afforded to religious institutions to maintain their religious ethos?
Program 2: Closing Loopholes or Limiting Opportunities? Update on Recent Employment Law Reforms
The last 12 months have seen significant changes to the Fair Work Act, including the introduction of greater protections for employees against discrimination, adverse action and harassment; and affording them the right to disconnect. The recent employment law reforms have shifted the legal landscape for employers. This session will examine the practical implications of these reforms for religious institutions, including:
- Managing expectations of employees of religious institutions in the age of the right to disconnect and flexible working arrangements
- Employee or independent contractor? Understanding the differences and avoiding sham contracts
- Update on unfair dismissal laws and how they may impact religious institutions
- Categorisation of employees: When might casual employment be permanent?
- An overview of new increases in penalties under the Fair Work Act
Program 3: Taking a Risk Management Approach to Mental Health in Religious Institutions
Mental health issues not only impact the individual, but also their workplace, particularly where there is a claim that the mental health is a workplace injury. With a tripling of mental health compensation claims in the last 20 years, the challenge is for religious organisations to take a proactive and risk -based approach to minimising psycho-social hazards. It can be difficult to know where to start. This session will examine the key issues, including:
- An analysis of the duty of care of employers and Codes of Practice
- The regulator’s guidelines on mental health management in the workplace
- The treatment of mental health at the recruitment stage - what can employers ask?
- Establishing and implementing policies, procedure and training
- Disability discrimination and the treatment of employees with a mental health condition
- How are “reasonable adjustments” assessed in the mental health space?
- Strategies for identifying and managing some of the perceived mental health triggers such as working hours, bullying, changed work conditions and rosters, public abuse, financial and personal stress
Presented By

Sonya Parsons
Partner, Mills Oakley Sydney, NSW
Adam Foster
Partner, Colin Biggers & Paisley Melbourne, Vic
Adrian Barwick
Solicitor Director & Accredited Specialist, Employment & Industrial Law, WilliamsonBarwick Sydney, NSWSpecial Offer
The regular price for this webinar series will be $550.
If you buy on or before 25 November 2024 you will pay only $297 a saving of $253.
Enquiries/Assistance
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