With Australian workplaces facing the hazards that come with AI, a Federal parliamentary inquiry shines a light on the need for health and safety guidelines and the recognition of the potential for AI systems to present a high risk of extreme micromanagement and other psychosocial problems.
The ACTU welcomed the findings of the Future of Work inquiry and repeated their calls for stronger protections against intrusive employer surveillance. ACTU Assistant Secretary, Joseph Mitchell said, ““The adoption of new technologies should benefit all Australians, not just big business… The union movement wants the fair go protected in the age of AI.”
The findings and recommendations of the Report advise that a the WHS Code of Practice be drafted to set limits on AI use, and employers would have to establish risk management processes - regularly evaluate the performance of AI models, enable human control in systems, inform end-users of AI-enabled decisions, establish processes that allow people affected by AI decisions to challenge outcomes, and maintain records to allow regulators to assess guardrail compliance.
Employers would be explicitly prohibited from using technological surveillance in relation to an employee’s protected attributes and limited in their use of AI in the workplace to mitigate psychosocial risks. The final recommendation from the inquiry committee extends positive equality duties to cover all protected attributes under the Fair Work Act.
The inquiry's findings underscore the importance of worker health and safety in an era of rapidly advancing technology. The Committee also advises the Government to review the Commonwealth Fair Work Act 2009 to ensure employment-related decisions made using AI and ADM are covered by the Act, and employers are liable for them.
The implementation of these recommendations seek to significantly reduce the risks of AI-enabled workplace surveillance, including the setting of intensified and unachievable KPIs.
In contrast, bosses’ lobby groups including the BCA (Business Council of Australia) and ACCI (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) have criticised the report's proposals, arguing that they could stifle innovation, increase red tape, and undermine productivity.
Committee Chair, Ms Lisa Chesters MP, said, “To help future-proof Australia and its place in an increasingly competitive and digital world, it is essential to have the right frameworks and support in place.” Australia needs a robust approach to AI, capturing all Australian workplaces and workers. Updates to the Fair Work Act and Privacy Law Act along with broader reform are necessary steps to achieving digital safety in the future workplace.
Read more: Report - The Future of Work | Parliament Committee