It is important to understand that sexual harassment is an act of a sexual nature that violates a person’s dignity. This can take different forms, including verbal (such as an unwelcome joke or invitation), physical (such as unwanted touching), or non-physical (such as a pornographic image). It is crucial to remember that the victim decides whether the behavior is acceptable or not.
Employers have a responsibility under the Discrimination Act to prevent, investigate, and correct sexual harassment. This includes establishing routines and guidelines and taking active measures to address any incidents that occur in the workplace or outside of regular working hours if there is a connection to work-related activities. Sexual harassment can occur during work trips, staff parties, or even when colleagues travel together.
It is essential to take sexual harassment seriously and to ensure that all employees feel safe in their work environment. Employers must investigate any reported incidents promptly and take appropriate action to prevent it from happening again. Ultimately, it is everyone’s responsibility to create a workplace that is free from sexual harassment and discrimination.
As an employee or trainee working under an employer, you are protected from harassment by fellow employees. If you experience any form of sexual harassment, it is important that you report it. However, please note that the employer may not be obligated to take action if they are unaware of the situation.
Preventive Union Work and Active Measures
- Build trust among members in discrimination issues. Exposed have difficulty telling what has happened. There is often a fear of not being believed or that it is meaningless to speak, as it does not lead to any change. There may also be fear of reprisals, or the situation may deteriorate. Knowing trust is, therefore, crucial for daring to tell. As a union of confidence, you represent strong values fundamental to all people’s equal values. As a union of spirit, you are a role model in the workplace, and it is important not to behave in ways you perceive as contributing to the disadvantage of sexual harassment.
- It is also essential to ensure that the employer has developed clear procedures to prevent and prevent sexual harassment. You should update and clarify the routines to everyone in the organization – managers, employees, new employees, temporary staff, and hired team. From the performances, it should be clear that no harassment is accepted. And where the limit goes for acceptable behavior in the workplace. It is important to note that you should report all forms of sexual harassment to the employer and where the members turn around if they are exposed or perceive that someone else in the workplace is exposed to sexual harassment.
- The employer will collaborate with employees to develop active measures against sexual harassment. As a union, you have an essential role in working within the framework of MBL or collaborative meetings with the employer. As a union, you will receive sufficient information from the employer to participate in collaborative work. It is essential that everyone, employees and managers, is included in the preventive work.
Active Measures in Preventive Work
- Mapping the occurrence of sexual harassment at the workplace, such as employee surveys and employee interviews.
- Training both employees and managers about sexual harassment, preferably with examples of different situations and actions at the workplace, as a basis for discussion of acceptable behavior. The employer should also take active action to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. It can be done through information and talk at the workplace connected to staff conferences, workplace meetings, and employee interviews.
- You, as a constituent, can also help to raise awareness about sexual harassment by informing members about the rules and practices that apply to sexual harassment at the workplace and announcing that the victim may and should turn to his union-elected representatives at the workplace for support in registering what happened to the employer.
- To participate in the work against sexual harassment in the workplace, you must acquire knowledge. For more information on preventing sexual harassment, harassment, or discrimination in the workplace, go to [keyword].
Think About This: If You Discover Sexual Harassment in Your Workplace
- Support the member to report as soon as possible to the employer. If the member wishes, you can assist and support the member in contacting the employer or start the event with the employer if you and the member agree.
- If the member wishes, you can also attend future meetings with the employer or others involved in the investigation. Even if you agree that you are a member’s support, the member should contact the Ombudsman at his trade union for advice. You, therefore, need to invite the member to contact their trade unions.
If members are facing conflicts of interest, they can contact an Ombudsman at the Office. When both the victim and perpetrator of sexual harassment are part of the same federation, it can be a complex situation. In such cases, it is important that both members receive support from different persons.
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