This page provides an overview of the key dates and periods for private sector Gender Equality Reporting.
Key timeframes for employers
The following dates are for Private Sector Reporting
Please see Commonwealth Public Sector Reporting Guide for information on Public Sector Reporting dates.
Reporting period
1 April to 31 March
When preparing and lodging a Gender Equality Report with WGEA, the information provided will be in respect of a 12-month period. This is known as the reporting period.
How do the reporting documents relate to the reporting period?
Section | Reporting Period |
---|---|
Reporting Questionnaire | relates to the full 12-month reporting period. |
Workforce Management Statistics | reflects employee movements over the full 12-month reporting period. |
Workplace Profile | reflects all employees employed on a single snapshot date, which is any date an employer chooses within the reporting period. |
Snapshot date
The Workplace Profile (WPP) provides a snapshot of an organisation’s workforce on any one day during the 12-month reporting period. Employers can choose any snapshot date within the reporting period when preparing the WPP.
We recommend employers try to keep the same snapshot date year-to-year to ensures the data is taken at regular intervals.
For further information, refer to Workplace Profile.
Lodgement period
1 April to 31 May
The Reporting Program will be open each year for 2 months for employers to lodge their Gender Equality Report via the Employer Portal. This is known as the lodgement period.
Important: employers must resolve any data quality issues and lodge the report within the lodgement period (or approved extension period), or risk being non-compliant.
Extension period
1 June - 31 August
If you experience any difficulties preparing and lodging your report within the lodgement period, you can apply for an extension.
- We offer an automatic one-month extension period on application.
- Longer time periods require you to demonstrate reasonable grounds for the extension.
- An extension must be applied for within the lodgement period.
- You can only apply for one extension within the lodgement period.
Extension | Lodgement date |
---|---|
1 Month | 30 June |
2 Months | 31 July |
3 Months | 31 August |
Scorecard data cut-off
31 August
Employers must lodge their report by 31 August to meet data cut off and be included in the WGEA Scorecard.
Compliance certificates
September - October
WGEA completes compliance checks and starts to issue certificates of compliance to relevant employers who have complied with their reporting obligations.
You can contact us once you have reported if you are tendering for a contract or are in an active contract and need to demonstrate compliance with the Act.
Industry Benchmark Report Available
TBC
Available up until 21 March. The CEO of the organisation must share this report and the Executive Summary with their Governing Body to be compliant with the Act.
Reporting data cut-off
31 October
Employers who do not lodge within the lodgement period (or within an approved extension period) will be non-compliant with the Act. However, WGEA still encourages employers to lodge their reports by 31 October to:
- receive an Executive Summary, setting out the key results from their submission
- receive an Industry Benchmark Report, comparing their results with other similar employers
- have their gender equality data published on WGEA’s Data Explorer
- demonstrate to employees and the wider public that they value gender equality.
WGEA Scorecard published
November
WGEA publishes the annual Scorecard.
Publication of non-compliant list
January
Publication of non-compliant list on the WGEA website.
Employer Gender Pay Gap statement links
February
Employer Gender Pay Gap statement links can be uploaded in the Employer Portal.
Publication of Gender Pay Gaps
February - March
WGEA publishes the private sector Gender Pay Gaps.
What happens if the deadline is missed?
Employers that fail to lodge their report within the lodgement period (or approved extension period) will be non-compliant with the Act and may be named as non-compliant in our Annual Report and/or on our website.
Important: if the employer is part of a corporate structure and a subsidiary (employing ABN) is non-compliant, that subsidiary’s non-compliance will impact the compliance for the entire corporate structure.
For information about your compliance requirements and consequences of non-compliance, refer to Reporting Compliance.
Editing a report after lodgement
If you lodge your report within the lodgement period (or approved extension period), you will have 28 days to review and amend the report.
- After this 28-day review period, no further edits can be made.
- If changes are made, the edited report must be re-signed by the CEO or equivalent before re-lodgement.
Important: If your report is re-opened within the 28-day review period, you must repeat the declarations and consents process and lodge your report.
For more information, refer to Documents and Sign-off (CEO requirements).