Purpose
This assessment helps you demonstrate report-writing skills essential for HR and other professional roles. It develops your research abilities, including sourcing, reviewing, and synthesizing academic and non-academic literature. Strong report-writing skills support informed business decisions, enhancing your ability to assist managers and advance your career.
AI in Recruitment: Legal and Ethical Implications for Harmony Haven
Task details
You are now in your sixth month of working as an HR graduate at Harmony Haven, one of Australia’s leading aged care providers, offering residential care and home support services to older Australians in Victoria. The Chief HR Officer, Ms. Claire Teaque, has called an emergency meeting to discuss a concern raised by several job applicants. Over the past two months, Harmony Haven has been using an AI-driven recruitment system to screen and shortlist candidates for personal care roles. While the system has improved efficiency, some rejected applicants have alleged that the AI may be biased against older candidates and those from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Ms. Teaque is extremely concerned about this issue and has asked you to prepare a 1,500-word insights report for the Board, addressing the following questions:
“Does the use of AI in recruitment and selection risk breaching anti-discrimination laws in Australia? What ethical considerations should Harmony Haven take into account when using AI in recruitment and selection?”
In your report to the Board, you may include reference to appropriate Victorian or Australian legislation, case law and academic research or commentary. Your report should include a brief introduction and conclusion. A minimum of 7-10 references should be provided. The reference list is not included in the assignment word count.
Suggested Report Structure
- Cover Page
Include:
Report title
Your full name and student ID
Subject name and code
Date of submission
- Executive Summary (Approx. 150 words)
A brief summary of the report’s purpose, key findings, and main recommendations.
Tip: Write this section last, but place it after the cover page.
- Table of Contents
List all section headings and subheadings with page numbers. - Introduction (Approx. 150–200 words)
Brief background: Harmony Haven’s use of AI in recruitment.
State the report’s purpose: To assess legal risks and ethical issues.
Outline what the report will cover.
- Legal Risks: AI and Anti-Discrimination Laws (Approx. 400–500 words)
Identify relevant laws:
Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth)
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
Explain possible breaches of direct or indirect discrimination.
AI in Recruitment: Legal and Ethical Implications for Harmony Haven
Refer to legal cases, government guidelines, or real-world examples.
- Ethical Considerations of AI in Recruitment (Approx. 400–500 words)
Discuss ethical recruitment principles: fairness, transparency, accountability.
Evaluate risks such as:
Algorithmic bias
Lack of transparency
Privacy concerns
Impact on diversity and inclusion
Reference academic research or ethical frameworks to support your discussion.
- Recommendations (Approx. 200–300 words)
Provide realistic and professional suggestions for Harmony Haven, such as:
Auditing the AI tool for bias
Combining AI with human oversight
Training HR staff in ethical AI use
Clear communication with applicants
Vetting third-party AI providers for fairness and compliance
- Conclusion (Approx. 100–150 words)
Summarise key findings and risks.
Reaffirm the importance of legal compliance and ethical practice in recruitment.
- Reference List (Minimum 7–10 quality sources)
Use APA 7 or Harvard referencing style (as advised).
Include academic articles, legal sources, and government reports.
Not included in the word count.
Tips for a Strong Report
Use clear headings and subheadings.
Write in formal, third-person language (avoid “I” or “we”).
Base arguments on evidence, not personal opinion.
Use in-text citations consistently and accurately.
Avoid plagiarism: all sources must be referenced properly.
MGT2001 – Assignment 3 – Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the word limit for this assignment? 1500 equivalent
- This assignment asks: ‘Does the use of AI in recruitment and selection risk breaching anti-discrimination laws in Australia?”. Do I have to provide an absolute answer? Or as long as I can justify our reasonings I should be okay? You are expected to provide a clear answer. However, if you cannot fully say YES or NO, you should acknowledge the complexities of the question and justify your arguments by backing them up with strong references
- In my report, I need to include references to appropriate Victorian Australian legislation, case law and academic research. I wonder if the case law must come from Australia? As your business (Harmony Heaven) is operating in Australia, it should find case law from Australia.
- If the case law must come from Australia, is there a website that can be recommended to search for Australian case law? You can find case law here: AustLII – Victorian Resources; Bench books | Judicial College of Victoria; Case law benchbooks | Fair Work Commission (fwc.gov.au)
- AI in Recruitment: Legal and Ethical Implications for Harmony Haven
This is La Trobe library guide to Australia case law: Online case law – Law – LibGuides at La Trobe University. I am sure they will be more than happy to help; however, you will need to plan well beforehand so that you can get their support before the due date.
- Do we look at all legislation (other Australian states)? No, only from Victoria and the national legislation. Your business is operating in Victoria.
- In some cases, appearance can be a relevant selection criterion. For example, recruiters can assess a candidate’s appearance based on how they dress when attending an interview. Can I write this in my report? Yes, you can. However, you should focus on how to not discriminate candidates based on key personal attributes that are covered by the Equal Opportunity Act (and other relevant Australian laws). It would be best to define what ‘appearance’ means in your report.
- Should I structure my Report into three parts (three subheadings): Victorian or Australian legislation, case law and academic research and commentary?
No, you should not. Instead, you should combine these references to support your arguments. As this is a report, you will need to do research to find out relevant Victorian or Australian legislation, case law and academic research and commentary that are related to appearance discrimination. Then based on your research results, come up with your ideas/answers/arguments. After that structure your answers based on key themes resulted from your research.
Please refer to La Trobe University Library for guidance on how to write a report here: Reports – Assessments – Expert help guides at La Trobe University (libguides.com).
If you need an one on one consultation, you can book here: Library study and research support (latrobe.edu.au)
- Can you explain what ‘academic research or commentary’ is? ‘Academic research’ refers to journal articles, books, etc. ‘Commentary’ refers to any comments by relevant people such as an HR manager or company leaders. These comments can be published in online news or social media, etc.
- Is there a set number of references required? No. But a minimum of 7 -10 references seems good.
- What referencing style should I use? APA 7. For further guide, check Home – APA7 – Expert help guides at La Trobe University (libguides.com)
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