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Sexual Harassment in the workplace

Sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination that interferes with an employee’s job performance, and job satisfaction, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Some employees may believe that sexual harassment at work is simply a matter of flirting. However, sexual harassment is not acceptable behaviour in the workplace and should be reported immediately.

Inappropriate behaviour at work can be:

  • Inappropriate sexual conduct or jokes, including through text, email and social media
  • inappropriate touching, patting, kissing or pinching
  • Stalking, catcalling, overly personal questions about your sex life
  • If you say no to your boss’s advances, he may threaten to overlook you for promotion.

If you are experiencing sexual harassment at work you should first report the incident to a supervisor, manager or human resources professional. By law, your employer must try to stop the harassment and put a stop to it immediately.

Ask for the sexual harassment policy:

Sexual harassment is a health and safety issue.  All employers should have a written policy statement advising employees that sexual harassment is against the law and will not be tolerated. The policy should give examples of what constitutes sexual harassment and should point out that appropriate measures will be taken against anyone who offends.
Policy statements should set out an employee’s right (under both the Human Rights Act and the Employment Relations Act) to complain about sexual harassment, along with initial in-house procedures to follow if a complaint is made.

If you report sexual harassment and it’s not stopped you can take a personal grievance.

Sexual Harassment is misconduct

Sexual harassment at work should not be tolerated. If an employer fails to take adequate steps to prevent sexual harassment, the employer may face legal action.

You will be expected to have kept records of the incidents and to have *told someone else at your workplace, preferably management.

You may raise a personal grievance if your employer fails to respond to your complaints (*or if your employer is the person who is harassing you). We can help you at the outset to try and resolve your problem and we can help you with your grievance and subsequent progress towards a solution.

External resources:

Worksafe’s NZ Sexual harassment advice for workers: https://worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/sexual-harassment/advice-for-workers/

Me Too NZ  https://metoonz.co.nz/

Human Rights Commission https://www.hrc.co.nz/

 

Read reviews from people just like you who we have helped with their employment disputes.

 

Brilliant Kam

Rated 5.0 out of 5
22/11/2023

Kam was amazing to work with. I read through the reviews and was already aware that I was in the right hands. She showed a lot of empathy and patience through out the whole progress. I feel at ease now.

Thank you Kam and team.

Fiona. T
Verified

Kam Bailey was the hero I needed.

Rated 5.0 out of 5
22/11/2023

She showed deep kindness towards her clients and everyone else that was invovled. She was respectful, patient and always made sure that we were all comfortable through out the whole process. Thank you for treating me like a human Kam, also for making me feel heard and being the voice for me when I was too afraid to defend myself. You truely are the best.

Fiona
Verified

Highly recommended

Rated 5.0 out of 5
13/11/2023

Kam Bailey was such a pleasure to work with. I engaged Kam to help me put right, what I knew to be wrong, and I was grateful she accepted our case. The outcome was successful for us in many ways including psychologically, and with it came closure and a welcome sense of relief. It’s not okay for any employer to think they can make up the rules and get away with it. We wanted to use our experience to expose the employer and create awareness for others, but the resolution system demands confidentiality and I think this area needs improvement in some way. Throughout the lengthy ordeal, Kam has been attentive, understanding, reassuring, and calming, and our result was pleasing. I thank you Kam for helping us the way you did. I wish I could say more but I don’t want to be in breach. You are an angel and I thank you for doing what you do in the way that you do. May God bless you and keep you.

Mani
Verified

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