Requesting an extension

You can either submit a support request and select the general enquiry option or you can email support@wgea.gov.au.
Please use the subject heading: Application for extension.

Under section 17 of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, applicants must apply for an extension before the end of the current reporting submission period.

These dates are:

• Private sector – 1 April to 31 May
• Public sector – 1 September to 31 October (for this year)

No. You can only apply for one extension each year.

If your organisation is experiencing extenuating circumstances that may require a longer extension than 4 weeks you can contact us at support@wgea.gov.au to discuss further.

You will receive a response to your enquiry advising your 4 week extension has been approved, along with the new due date of your submission.

If you have applied for an extension prior to the end of the reporting period and we are unable to get back to you before the reporting period ends, we will still honour your extension period.

No. Once an extension has been granted, no further extensions can be approved.

You will be non-compliant if you do not submit you report before the end of the extension period.

We encourage you to still submit your report as soon as possible as you will still be eligible to receive an Executive Summary, Industry Benchmark Report and have your data published on the data explorer

If you are registered to report the only way you can receive a compliance certificate is if you submit your report or ask for an extension prior to the end of the reporting submission period and submit within the extension timeframe.

You will not be eligible to receive a compliance certificate as you will be non-compliant with the reporting requirements of the Act.

You need to apply for your extension prior to the last day of your submission period.

These dates are:

• Private sector – 1 April to 31 May
• Public sector – 1 September to 31 October (for this year)

The recent review of the Workplace Gender Equality Procurement Principles revealed that WGEA does not have discretion when it comes to issuing compliance certificates to potential suppliers of goods and services to government. WGEA therefore cannot issue a compliance certificate to an employer who reports late, unless the employer received an extension of time to report.

When you have submitted a report and that report has been assessed and cleared for any data issues, you will be issued with a successful completion notification email.
You can supply this to your CEO (or equivalent) to show that your Gender Equality Report has been completed.

If you have not submitted your report by the due date or the approved extension date you are non-compliant with the Workplace Gender Equality Act.

You will need to advise the procuring agency that you do not have a compliance certificate due to not reporting on time.  

If you are the recipient of an Australian Government contract and become non-compliant with the WGE Act during the term of a contract, you should notify the nominated Departmental contact officer.

If WGEA is unable to respond to your request for assistance prior to 31 May, we will work with you to submit your report as soon as possible. You will not be non-compliant while this process is underway.

When you submit your report, you have 28 days to review and ensure there are no errors in your report. If you identify an error, you have the opportunity to re-submit your report within the 28 day period.

• Outside of that 28 day period, you cannot re-open your report.

WGEA considers many factors when deciding whether to exercise the discretion to name an employer on the non-compliant list.

The fact that you did submit a report is strong grounds for the discretion to be exercised in your favour meaning that you will not be named by WGEA on the non-compliant list due to failing to submit a report.

If you complete reporting in the next few months after the deadline date, you will be eligible to receive an Executive Summary, Industry Benchmark Report and have your data published on the data explorer. This provides important information to you about how you are performing in relation to gender equality and highlights areas for improvement. 

In addition, your employees and prospective employees, stakeholders and the broader community and media will know that you have undertaken gender equality reporting. With the publication of gender pay gaps there is now increased scrutiny on WGEA gender equality reporting requirements.

Reporting also means you avoid the consequence of being publicly named by WGEA as non-compliant.

You can still submit your Gender Equality Report, however if you have not submitted in the reporting submission period you will not be compliant. Consequences of being non-compliant can be partially mitigated by still reporting.