To document workplace bullying in Australia, write a short, dated note for each incident: what happened, when and where it happened, and who was present or saw it. That is the record the Fair Work Ombudsman suggests keeping. You do not need to decide first whether it meets a legal definition; the note records what you saw, heard and did.

Key points

  • For each incident, note what happened, when and where, and who was present or saw it.
  • Write it soon after, and add later details as dated additions instead of rewriting.
  • Where it is safe, use workplace processes first; the national anti-bullying laws cover only some workers.
  • Your notes organise events; they do not decide whether the behaviour is legally bullying.
Contents
  1. What to write for each incident
  2. A fictional example
  3. Checklist: what to do and when
  4. Where your notes can help in Australia
  5. Frequently asked questions

What to write for each incident

Keep one entry per incident. In each, note:

  • The date and time, or an honest estimate marked as an estimate.
  • The place or channel, such as a pre-start meeting, the roster, an email or a work chat.
  • What was said or done. Use quotation marks only for words you remember exactly.
  • Who was present, and who could have seen or heard it.
  • What you did next and any reply, including requests for help.
  • How it affected you and your work, written as your own experience.

Keep the date you wrote the note separate from the date of the incident. If you remember more later, add a dated addition rather than changing the original entry.

A fictional example

Fictional example, not a real case. Written Tuesday 8 September 2026, 1:10 pm: “About 7:40 am today, pre-start meeting at the warehouse. The team leader gave me two dispatch runs, both due at 10 am. I said I could finish one by 10 and asked who could take the other. As I recall, the team leader said, ‘Sort it out yourself.’ Two colleagues from my shift were there. At 8:15 am I emailed the operations manager asking for help; no reply yet. I skipped my break to finish and felt tense for the rest of the shift.” It records the request and the reply without guessing at anyone's motive.

Checklist: what to do and when

  1. Today: write up the most recent incident while the details are fresh.
  2. Next: list earlier incidents from oldest to newest, marking estimated dates.
  3. For each entry: note where related material is kept, such as an email, roster change or message. Keep originals unedited, and do not copy unrelated confidential work files.
  4. Each time you raise the issue: record the date, who you told, what you asked for and the response.
  5. Whenever you send or receive something in writing: keep a dated copy.

For a blank worksheet, our incident log template uses the same fields.

Where your notes can help in Australia

The Fair Work Ombudsman suggests using workplace policies first where it is safe, and talking privately with someone you trust: your manager (or a different manager if the issue involves yours), a health and safety representative or human resources. If the bullying continues, options include your union if you are a member, the Fair Work Commission if you are eligible, your state or territory work health and safety regulator (for example SafeWork NSW or WorkSafe Victoria, or Comcare for Australian Government employees) and the Australian Human Rights Commission for matters covered by federal discrimination laws. If there are serious threats, stalking or physical assault, contact the police.

The national anti-bullying laws cover only certain workers. They deal with repeated unreasonable behaviour that creates a risk to health and safety, and reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable way is not bullying. Sexual harassment has different rules and can involve a single incident. Your notes help you explain events; they do not decide which route applies.

Before recording a conversation, check the rules where you work and your employer's policy, and consider telling the other person. If you are in immediate danger, put your safety first. Kirokune keeps notes, photos, recordings and imported chats together in a private case on your iPhone, in time order; it does not decide what happened or give legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What should I write down if I'm being bullied at work?
For each incident, write the date and time, where it happened or which channel was used, what was said or done, who was present and what happened next. Add how it affected you as a separate line. The Fair Work Ombudsman suggests recording what, when and where it happened, and who was present or saw it.
Does one incident count as workplace bullying in Australia?
Under the definition the Fair Work Commission uses, bullying is unreasonable behaviour that happens more than once and creates a risk to health and safety. A single incident can still be worth noting, and other rules, such as those on sexual harassment, can apply to a one-off event.
Do I need an audio recording of workplace bullying?
No. Written notes made soon after each incident are a practical place to start. If you are thinking about recording, check the rules that apply where you work and your employer's policy, and consider telling the other person. No app, including Kirokune, can tell you whether a recording is lawful.

Sources

A notebook arranged as a workplace incident timeline on a quiet desk

Kirokune helps you keep a record. It does not diagnose, decide what happened, or give legal advice.