WGEA Employer Statement Arnold Thomas and Becker Lawyers is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and we do not discriminate based on any protected attributes, including gender, race, religion, and other similar characteristics. During the reporting period, our firm employed 143 employees, with women making up 81% of our workforce, demonstrating our strong female representation. We currently have 180 employees, with women comprising 80% of our workforce. Over 50% of our leadership team are women, and our leadership group reflects diverse ethnic backgrounds, including a first-generation migrant. Additionally, our firm and leadership team are inclusive of individuals from a broad range of sexual orientations, political beliefs, and religious backgrounds, reflecting our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. We maintain structured salary scales for Legal Trainees, Legal Support, and Lawyers with up to four years of post-admission experience. These frameworks ensure remuneration is based on capability and experience, with annual salary reviews providing increases without requiring an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. Legal support and administrative roles are traditionally female dominated across the industry which account for 95% of such positions at our firm. These roles often require fewer formal qualifications and are positioned at lower salary scales, and as a result, the appearance of gender pay disparity. However, we adhere to the Legal Services Award 2020 to ensure equitable pay and most of our legal support and administrative roles are paid above the award rate. We acknowledge the broader industry challenge of gender imbalances in administrative positions and remain committed to fostering a more inclusive workforce. The majority of our operators work under a structured key performance indicator (KPI) system that enables them to earn performance-based bonuses. Part-time staff receive pro-rata adjustments, recognizing that women statistically work part-time more often than men. Additionally, for employees planning parental leave, KPIs are set on a pro-rata basis to ensure they can still meet their targets. Given that women are more likely to take on caregiving responsibilities, this naturally impacts bonus eligibility and contributes to variations in earnings data. Furthermore, our industry leading Parental Leave Policy exemplifies our commitment to equity, offering flexibility and robust support to employees. Primary carers, regardless of gender, receive between 18 and 26 weeks of paid parental leave, along with 12 months of employer superannuation contributions, staggered return-to-work options, and flexible parental leave usage. For operators, wherever possible, the firm has tailored systems to ensure continuity in their practice so whilst on leave their practice continues to grow, enabling a seamless return to work experience without the need to rebuild files from scratch. For legal support and administration staff, permanent hires are employed as replacements who subsequently transition into internal roles, allowing parental leave employees to resume in their original positions upon their return. Arnold Thomas and Becker will continue to implement initiatives that support diversity and equity to foster inclusivity enabling all employees to thrive, both personally and professionally, at our workplace.