Harassment Policy and Procedure

Policy objectives

DFP Recruitment Services deplores all forms of sexual or racial harassment or bullying and seeks to ensure that the working environment is sympathetic to all its employees. The following procedure informs employees of the type of behaviour that is unacceptable and provides employees who are the victims of sexual or racial harassment or bullying with a means of redress. Implementation of the policy is the duty of the managers and consultants. All employees are expected to comply.

Harassment Procedure

Sexual harassment at work is unlawful, and both DFP and the harasser may be held liable for such unlawful actions, and be required to pay damages. Harassment can reduce the effectiveness of DFP by creating a threatening environment, and increasing sickness absence and labour turnover. Women and men have the right to work in an environment free from sexual intimidation.

Racial harassment at work is also unlawful and as with sexual harassment both DFP and the harasser may be held liable. It also creates a threatening environment and all employees have the right to work in an atmosphere free from racial intimidation.

Intentional racial or sexual harassment is also a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment or a fine.

Bullying in the workplace is totally unacceptable behaviour and any employee found to have either committed or condoned such behaviour in the workplace, may be subject to disciplinary action. DFP will also work with clients to ensure that on hired workers can work in a bullying free environment.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment takes many forms, from relatively mild sexual banter to actual physical violence. Examples of harassment include:

  • Insensitive jokes and pranks
  • Lewd comments about appearance
  • Unnecessary body contact
  • Displays of sexually offensive material, for example, pin-ups
  • Requests for sexual favours
  • Speculation about a person’s private life and sexual activities
  • Threatened or actual sexual violence, and
  • Threat of dismissal, loss of promotion and so on, for refusal of sexual favours.

Racial harassment

Racial harassment can also take many forms; from relatively minor abuse to actual physical violence. Examples of harassment include:

  • Insensitive jokes to race
  • Pranks
  • Deliberate exclusion from conversations
  • Abusive, threatening or insulting words and behaviour, and
  • Displaying abusive writing and pictures.

Bullying

Bullying is defined as repeated less favourable treatment of a person by another or others in the workplace which may be considered unreasonable and inappropriate in workplace practice.   It includes behaviour that could be expected to intimidate, offend, degrade, humiliate, undermine or threaten and can create a risk to health and safety.

Bullying can be physical or psychological behaviour or conduct where strength ( including strength of personality) and/or position of power is misused by a person in authority or by a person who perceives that they are in a position of power or authority.

Examples of bullying include:

Overt

  • Abusive behaviour towards another employee such as threatening gestures or actual violence
  • Aggressive or abusive or offensive language, including threats or shouting
  • Demeaning remarks
  • Constant unreasonable and unconstructive criticism.

Covert

  • Deliberate exclusion, isolation or alienation of the employee from normal work interaction, such as intentionally excluding from meetings
  • Placing unreasonably high work demands on one employee but not on others
  • Allocation of demeaning jobs or meaningless tasks only
  • Unreasonably ignoring the employee
  • Undermining another employee, including encouraging others to do the same
  • Deliberately withholding information that a person needs to exercise her or his role
  • Repeated refusal of requests for leave or training without adequate explanation and suggestion of alternatives.

Providing guidance, conducting performance counselling, invoking unsatisfactory performance procedures or misconduct procedures does not in itself constitute bullying. Managers and consultants are expected to offer constructive advice and comment as part of their role in a way that does not demean or humiliate.

The examples above are not exhaustive. Some forms of harassment, such as the threat of dismissal for refusal of sexual favours, are obvious examples of gross misconduct, punishable by summary dismissal, but other items may not constitute gross misconduct depending on the circumstances of the case in question.

To promote a better environment the company prohibits the display of sexually offensive material, such as pin-ups and posters, and will if necessary ensure that workplaces are inspected and offending material removed.

All new employees will be informed of DFP’s policy towards sexual and racial harassment and bullying at induction training, when it will be stressed that all complaints will be treated very seriously.

DFP expects all managers and consultants to ensure that this procedure is adhered to at all times.

Complaints

DFP recognises the sensitive nature of complaints of harassment. Employees who wish to discuss such complaints, in confidence, should contact the HR Manager.

Employees who are victims of minor sexual or racial harassment or bullying are advised in the first instance to try an informal complaint: make it clear to the harasser that the behaviour is unacceptable and must stop. If an employee is unable to do this verbally then a written request (explaining the distress caused by the behaviour) handed to the harasser may be effective. The person named above can assist employees in taking such action.

Where informal methods fail, or serious harassment occurs, employees are advised to bring a formal complaint, and should seek assistance, as above, in doing so. The complaint should be made in writing, and where possible, state:

  • The name of the harasser
  • The nature of the harassment
  • Dates and times when harassment occurred
  • Names of witnesses to any incidents of harassment
  • Any action already taken by the complainant to stop the harassment.
  • The complaint should be sent, in confidence, to the HR Manager.

Robert van Stokrom
Chief Executive Officer