Guiding Principals On The Prevention, Elimination And Management Of Harassment
Procedural Issues
8. Guiding Principals On The Prevention, Elimination And Management Of Harassment
8.1 Employers are under obligation in terms of Section 60 of the EEA to take proactive and remedial steps to prevent all forms of harassment in the workplace. This includes an assessment of the risk of harassment that employees are exposed to while performing their duties as far as is reasonable practicable.
8.2 Employers should have an attitude of zero-tolerance towards harassment. They should create and maintain a working environment in which the dignity of employees are respected. A climate in the workplace should also be created and maintained in which employees who raise complaints about harassment will not feel that their grievances are ignored or trivialized, or fear reprisals. Implementing the following guidelines can assist in achieving these ends.
8.2.1 Employers and Trade union/employees are obligated to refrain from committing harassment.
8.2.2 All employers and trade unios/employee have a role to play in contributing towards creating and maintaining a working environment in which harassment is unacceptable. They should ensure that their standards of conduct do not cause offence and they should discourage unacceptable behaviour on the part of others.
8.2.3 Employers should attempt to ensure that persons such as customers, suppliers, job applicants andothers who have dealings with the business are not subjected to harassment by its employees or any other person representing the employer.
The concept of having stakeholders with the Education Community, brings another dimension to the world of work. Here we are dealing with a group of people who are nor specifically having dealing with the employers or the employees but there could be instances where they would find themselves within the same space and interacting with employees from the State as well as the School. Complaints directed at any person or employee will have to be handled with in the context to where the Act apply directly to them.
8.2.4 Employers should attempt to ensure that employees in their employ are not subjected by tird parties such as clients, customers, suppliers or others who have dealings with the school.
8.2.5 Policies and procedures adopted by an employer should provide a clear statement of the employe’s position regarding the prevention, elimination and management of the various forms of harassment in the workplace
8.2.6 Employers where applicable, jointly with trade unions, must implement awareness training initiatives to educate employees at all levels about harassment to reinforce and maintain compliance through ongoing programmes.
8.2.7 Employers should take .