workplace wellbeing: rights and local resources

WorkSafe ACT logged 420 mental health-related workers compensation claims for the 2025-26 financial year, a 15 percent increase on the prior period.

The spike coincides with national data showing prolonged screen time and hybrid schedules pushing more workers toward burnout. ACT employers must now meet updated psychological health duties under the Work Health and Safety Act, which took effect last month. Failure to provide reasonable adjustments can result in enforceable undertakings or fines up to $1.5 million for serious breaches.

Local programs on offer

Staff at Australian National University can access the institution’s Employee Assistance Program, which offers up to six free counselling sessions and operates from the campus on Acton Peninsula. University of Canberra runs a parallel scheme that includes stress-management workshops held monthly in Building 1 on the Bruce campus. Beyond Blue ACT maintains a drop-in centre at 15 Moore Street in Civic where workers can receive guidance on filing internal complaints about excessive workloads without first notifying their employer.

Exercise remains a core recommendation. The weekly parkrun at Tuggeranong Town Park starts at 8 am each Saturday and draws more than 300 participants, many of them public servants from nearby offices. Lake Burley Griffin’s 6.3-kilometre loop also serves as an informal running and cycling route used by hundreds of commuters each weekday morning.

Practical next steps

Workers who feel their rights have been overlooked should contact WorkSafe ACT’s advisory line on 13 22 81 before lodging a formal claim. The service operates from its office at 5 Constitution Avenue and can arrange confidential site visits. For immediate support outside business hours, the Beyond Blue ACT helpline connects callers to local clinicians within 24 hours. Employees are advised to keep dated records of symptoms and communications with managers, as these form the basis of any subsequent application for compensation or flexible work arrangements.