Releasing the results of an 18-month inquiry on Thursday,Ms Jenkins said progress to address sexual harassment in Australian workplaces has been"disappointingly slow"since the Sex Discrimination Act was introduced in 1984.
Ms Jenkins said workers under 30 are among those at highest risk,noting a 2018 survey of 10,000 Australians found 39 per cent of Australian women and 26 per cent of men had experienced sexual harassment in the previous five years.
The survey also found less than one in five people (17 per cent) who had been harassed made a formal complaint. Ms Jenkins noted many Australians did not want to complain,as they could be alienated at work,not believed,or fired.
The report makes 55 recommendations,including the addition of a"positive duty"to protect employees against sexual harassment.
Ms Jenkins said too many employers had been taking a"tick-a-box"approach,"something to say it's not our fault".
The new duty would require all employers - with the possible exception of micro-businesses - to take"reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate sex discrimination,sexual harassment and victimisation,as far as possible".
This would be accompanied by enforcement powers for the Australian Human Rights Commission,to assess employers'compliance with this positive duty.