SafeWork report slams Sydney University as ‘hazardous workplace’ for Jewish employees  

A report by SafeWork NSW described Sydney University’s actions to protect Jewish employees from anti-Semitism as inadequate.

A preliminary report conducted by SafeWork NSW into anti-Semitism has found that inadequate actions were taken to protect Jewish employees for months after the 7 October attacks carried out by Hamas.

According to The Australian – which obtained the report under freedom of information laws – it was found that Sydney University held a “high-risk psychosocial hazardous workplace” for close to 11 months from 7 October 2023 to September 2024.

The report claimed that although the university had “the authority, policies and procedures in place to eliminate anti-Semitism (on campus)” during an eight-week protest and encampment taken by pro-Palestinian students – no action was taken.

“Jewish workers and students experienced anti-Semitism daily while on campus, creating a workplace of fear, anxiousness and a fear of retribution towards Jewish workers and students because they were Jewish people,” said the report via The Australian.

SafeWork NSW claimed that the university had the “authority” to eliminate anti-Semitism, but “failed to enforce their own policies”.

The regulator also claimed that the university only stepped in to reduce the encampment due to the involvement of the regulator itself, paired with political and social pressures, media focus, and Jewish advocacy groups.

The inspector who conducted the report recommended a full report investigation.

“No doubt, an investigation by SafeWork will identify contraventions of law” and “would determine what response is appropriate and proportionate to an alleged breach of the law”.

Despite this, SafeWork NSW decided that a full investigation into the potential contraventions would not be carried out.

The conflict between Hamas and Israel continues to spill over into the workplace, with employee activism remaining a touchy subject throughout organisations across Australia.

As previously reported by HR Leader, Lucy Piper, corporate climate expert and director at WorkforClimate, touched on how employers can navigate the contentious terrain.

“There are lots of examples where leaders have voiced an opinion that they really care deeply about and their careers have maybe suffered or they’ve faced repercussions,” Piper said.

“Organisations and HR leaders who can lead with heart and lead with empathy, and look at someone in an organisation who is voicing an opinion that is coming from a place of vulnerability and love and care for people in the world, I think that’s the only way you can approach those situations and those conversations.

“The rise in both anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic sentiment since the terrorist attacks on October 7, and then the resulting military offence in Gaza has created deep trauma in so many people witnessing what’s happening around the world that it is something that companies must not turn away from. It’s a very, very challenging space, particularly with that subject in a lot of workplaces.”

Antoinette Lattouf, formerly a senior journalist at the ABC, being dismissed after sharing pro-Palestinian sympathies on her personal social media page, and two nurses spewing anti-Semitic vitriol leading to their de-registration are just recent examples of workplace incidents derived from the conflict.