Anyone can be subjected to bullying in the workplace regardless of their position, salary or seniority. Our employment lawyers are by your side to provide expert legal advice and assistance to stop the bullying, protect your health, ongoing employment rights and professional reputation.
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What is workplace bullying?
A worker is bullied at work if an individual (or a group of individuals) repeatedly behaves unreasonably towards a worker (or a group of workers), and that behaviour creates a risk to health and safety. It is irrelevant whether the individual, or individuals, who are bullying intend to bully the victim.
It is important to note that bullying involves repeated unreasonable behaviour. A single incident is insufficient.
Unreasonable behaviour includes:
- constant unjustified criticism or complaints
- constant threats to sack or demote
- excluding someone from workplace activities
- inconsistent and arbitrary enforcement of rules
- setting unreasonable timelines
- deliberately changing work arrangements in order to inconvenience someone
- setting tasks that are unreasonable
- excessive scrutiny of work performance
- withholding information or tools required to perform work
- taking credit for another employee's work and failing to acknowledge that employee
- verbal abuse
- physical assault.
Behaviours involving unwanted physical contact or damage to property may also constitute criminal offences. If you experience any such behaviour, you should also consider reporting the matter to the police as well as speaking to an employment lawyer.
What are your rights if you've experienced bullying at work?
Your rights can vary depending on a number of factors including the nature of the workplace bullying and the reason for the workplace bullying.
Federal anti-bullying laws were introduced in 2014, and are designed to stop workplace bullying promptly. However, the laws do not entitle bullying victims to monetary compensation or reinstatement.
Workplace bullying may also be covered by discrimination law, general protections under the Fair Work Act 2009, unfair dismissal law, employment contract law and enterprise agreements in the workplace, and occupational health and safety law.
An expert employment lawyer will be able to explain your options and your rights to you if you have experienced workplace bullying, get in touch today.
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