Harassment at work

The need for protecting workers from a hostile environment

Harassment at work
What Do You Know About Harassment?
Is harassment a form of work place discrimination? YES If your intentions are good, your behavior cannot be considered harassment?

NO
If everyone else is okay with a co-workers behavior, you should just accept it, even if it offends you.

NO
You can only harass an employee sexually?

NO
Ignoring harassment is the healthiest way to avoid problems at work

NO

Harassment at work
Defining Harassment
Harassment is any type of behavior, sometimes repeated or persistent, that is unwanted, unwelcome and causes emotional distress in the person it is directed against. UNISON unwanted conduct that violates an employees dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment ACAS Legally harassment is defined on the principle where if the behavior of the offender is beyond The Reasonable Person Standard

Harassment at work
Types of Harassment
Sexual harassment Unwelcome sexual advances, propositions and demands for sexual Favors Unwanted or derogatory comments about clothing or appearance. physical contact such as the invasion of personal space and unnecessary touching

Racial harassment Refusing to work with someone or deliberately isolating them because of their race, color, nationality or ethnic origin. Harassment of workers with disabilities name calling, jokes, taunts and use of offensive language. assuming that a physical disability means that the individual is inferior

Harassment at work
Types of Harassment
Religious harassment mocking or deriding peoples religious Beliefs. making unwanted comments on dress.

Age harassment Usually related with equal employment issues

Bullying A component found in all other types of harassment.

Harassment at work
Effects of Harassment

feel anxious Intimidated Threatened Humiliated Frustration Anger Stress loss of self confidence Loss of self esteem Lose motivation self harm death

Harassment at work
Causes of harassment and offenders

Usually caused by: prejudice against specific members of society, as in racial harassment, sexual harassment, or, gender, disability, age, religion or nationality. A harasser can be;

A colleague/supervisor/manager client/customer patient a contractor/or someone making deliveries.

Harassment at work
The LAW on Harassment
Employers may be held vicariously liable for the acts of the harassers In United Kingdom; Sex Discrimination Act 2008 Race Relations Act and Race Regulations 2003 Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Disability Discrimination Act Employment Equality (Age) The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Health and Safety at Work Act Protection from Harassment Act 1997

In Maldives * Employment Act 2/2008 (only outlines discrimination (Clause 4(a)) but is silent on the broader harassment issue)

Harassment at work
The LAW on Harassment - CASES
Green v DB Group Services (UK) Ltd (QBD) a former employee was entitled to damages for psychiatric injury and consequential loss and damage that she suffered as a result of harassment and bullying by her fellow employees. Here Ms Greens employer was found to be in breach of its duty of care to its employee in failing to take any adequate steps to protect her from such behavior.

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Procedure for harassment Complaints
Use of both formal and informal routes Informal Route: Ideally the first step that should be taken. Creates the opportunity to quickly and confidentially solve the issue. Gives the opportunity to the harasser to understand that their behavior is unacceptable. Gives both party to iron out any misunderstanding about the behavior and create a healthy work environment

Harassment at work
Procedure for harassment Complaints
Formal Route: When attempts to solve the issue informally has failed. Is too serious to be saved informally.

The Methodology Must be immediate without delay Should give opportunity for the harasser to amend their behavior Investigations must be objective Endure adequate support for the complaint is available

Harassment at work
Conclusion
Harassment is detrimental to creating a healthy and safe work environment
Clouds the image of organizations and specially to Managers Increases work place stress, absenteeism, and reduce productivity

Harassment does not only mean Sexual Harassment

Prevention is every ones responsibility Employers are vicariously liable for actions of the harasser

In prominent all over the world even with number of legislations prohibiting it
Maldives is no exception and hence an Act to protect workers from harassment is needed

Thank you