If you are a former or current female employee of Rio Tinto and believe you may have a claim click 'Register' now and follow the prompts.
RegisterOn 11 December 2024 a class action proceeding was commenced in the Federal Court of Australia against Rio Tinto, its related subsidiaries and their contractors and alleges that they are vicariously liable for failing to protect their former and current female employees from experiencing sex discrimination, sexual assault and/or sexual harassment during the course of their employment from 25 November 2003.
Our class action will address these long-standing issues and seek compensation owed to thousands of Australian women.
Rio Tinto is a publicly listed corporation operating in Australia primarily focused on mining mineral resources. They currently employ over 23,000 people and in 2022 reported that 22% of their workforce were female.
In 2021, Rio Tinto engaged former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to prepare a report into the company culture.
This report outlined the everyday sexism, sexual assault and sexual harassment majority of women faced in their workplaces. Some feared informing management of their pregnancies or being overlooked for progression with one stating that she ‘would not recommend Rio Tinto as a place to work for female friends or colleagues’.
Many women remain sceptical of a change in the culture and believe that it should start with the leaders. One woman shared her experience stating,
‘The way employees are treated is not the same. There are different mentalities. Nobody cares for small employees or listens to them. It’s just like command from the top’
‘My supervisor does not believe in the direction Rio is taking in relation to women and minority groups. He thinks it’s just political correctness and will be bad for the company’.
In order to register your interest to participate we require:
i. Your full name;
ii. Your best contact number;
iii. Email address; and
iv. Postal address.
We also ask that you inform us of your current or former employment details such as whether you were full-time, part-time, a contractor or sub-contractor, the entity who employed you and the dates of your employment.
A member of our team will contact you over the phone, at a time convenient for you to discuss the details of your potential claim, as soon as possible.
If you are a current or former female employee of Rio Tinto or any of its related subsidiaries and believe you have experienced sex discrimination, sexual assault and/or sexual harassment by another Rio Tinto employee or contractor during the course of your employment please register with us to participate now.
This class action has been filed in the Federal Court of Australia New South Wales Registry against Rio Tinto Limited, on behalf of all current and former female employees, who experienced sexual assault and/or harassment in connection with their employment at any time on or after 25 November 2003 to 8 February 2024.
If you believe you have been affected by these issues, then you may be entitled to compensation and should register your details above.
Yes. We encourage all former employees who believe they have been affected by these issues to register their interest with us. All of your information will remain confidential and will not be shared publicly at any stage of the class action.
The definition of discrimination on the grounds of a person's sex, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, or family responsibilities is contained within the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth). The following examples may include:
i. Withholding female employees promotions or training opportunities due to pregnancy or potential pregnancy or family responsibilities
ii. Being assigned tasks because they are 'traditionally' labelled as women's work
iii. Purposefully not hiring a woman in fear of disrupting or upsetting a male dominated industry or role
iv. Supervisors or Superintendents holding a personal preference for working with either men or women
The definition of sexual harassment is contained within the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth). However, the following examples may be considered in the class action:
i. Unwelcome sexual advances
ii. Unwanted repeated requests for dates
iii. Unwelcome requests for sex or sexual favours
iv. Unwelcome entry into a person’s accommodation, either with or without a person present
v. Stalking
vi. Suggestive or explicit sexual jokes
vii. Unwanted attention of a sexual nature such as staring or leering
viii. Inappropriate sexual comments
ix. Intrusive discussions about yours or another person’s private life
x. Sexually explicit materials such as posters, magazines or screen savers displayed, shown or sent to you
xi. Taking inappropriate or sexually suggestive photos or videos of you without your consent
xii. Unnecessary familiarity, such as unwelcome touching of another person’s body or clothes
xiii. Unwelcome massage
xiv. Unwanted hugging, patting, touching or rubbing/pressing oneself sexually against another person
xv. Pressuring, manipulating or scaring someone into performing a sexual act
xvi. Attempted sexual assault, abuse or rape
xvii. Sexual assault, abuse or rape
If you are still unsure or believe you have experienced sexual harassment not listed, please still register your details with us above. A member of our team will contact you over the phone, at a time convenient for you to discuss the details of your potential claim, as soon as possible.
The class action is being funded by Omni Bridgeway on a “no win, no pay” basis in accordance with the terms of a funding agreement or terms imposed by the Court. If the class action is successfully resolved and there is a recovery of compensation, Omni Bridgeway will be entitled to reimbursement of the costs of the class action that it has funded plus a commission from the judgment or settlement amount, pursuant to the terms of the funding agreement.
There are no costs involved for group members who wish to take part in the class action. Group members do not have to pay anything in the event that the class action is unsuccessful, as Omni Bridgeway agrees to pay any legal costs that might be awarded to Rio Tinto Limited or any other respondents.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a timeframe of how long the class action will take to resolve. Our objective will always be to act in the best interests of the group to ensure any resolution reached would be fair for all.
A class action is a group proceeding comprised of seven or more people who have been wronged by an individual or corporation. These claims generally arise out of similar circumstances that allow the group an opportunity to be heard based on common issues of law or fact. These proceedings are often commenced by one lead litigant on behalf of the group.
No. Group members do not have to pay anything in the event that the class action is unsuccessful, as Omni Bridgeway agrees to pay any legal costs that might be awarded to Rio Tinto Limited or any other respondents.