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Support for Bullied or Harassed Diverse Responders
Empowering culturally and linguistically diverse emergency responders against workplace bullying and harassment in Australia.
Bullying
Definition: Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behavior directed towards a person or group that creates a risk to health and safety.
Characteristics: Done to control and/or harm/destroy another person
Repetition: The behavior occurs more than once and is intended to cause harm.
Power Imbalance: There is often a power imbalance between the bully and the victim.
Types: Can be verbal (e.g., insults, threats), physical (e.g., hitting, pushing), social (e.g., spreading rumors, exclusion), or cyber (e.g., online harassment).
Types: Can be verbal (e.g., insults, threats), physical (e.g., hitting, pushing), social (e.g., spreading rumors, exclusion), or cyber (e.g., online hate, harassment)a
Harassment
Definition: Harassment is any unwelcome behavior that offends, humiliates, or intimidates a person. Can be one incident.
Characteristics:
Single or Repeated Acts: Harassment can occur as a single incident or as repeated behavior.
Intent: The behavior is unwelcome and can be based on characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
Types: Includes sexual harassment, racial harassment, and other forms of discriminatory behavior.
Key Differences
Frequency: Bullying is characterized by repeated behavior, while harassment can be a single incident.
Scope: Harassment often involves discrimination based on specific characteristics, whereas bullying is broader and can occur for various reasons.
Examples
Bullying: A coworker repeatedly making derogatory comments about another employee’s work performance.
Harassment: A manager making unwelcome sexual advances towards an employee.
Both bullying and harassment can have serious impacts on mental health and well-being. It’s important to address these behaviors promptly and seek support if needed. If you’re experiencing either, consider reaching out to a trusted person or professional for help. Report it and record it. Feel free to contact CALDERN at dignity@caldern.org or on the contact page below. All details are kept confidential and information will be provided.
IF ESTABLISHED, BULLYING AND HARASSMENT IS UNLAWFUL IN THE WORKPLACE
If the bullying behaviour involves allegations of physical assault or damage to property, contact the police on 000.
Workplace Health and Safety & Industrial Law
Although workplace bullying should be raised withing the workplace there is no restriction in reporting the bullying to external agencies. Work health and safety regulators will assess and respond to bullying complaints in accordance with their individual compliance and prosecution policies, which may take into account issues such as the immediate risk to health and safety and possible breaches of work health and safety legislation. These regulators and other guidance is listed on the SAFEWORK Australia website: Guide for preventing and responding to workplace bullying | Safe Work Australia
If the bullying causes harm and the harm is established the worker may be eventually entitled to compensation under WHS laws apart from weekly payments and medical bills if the bullying results in absence from work.
Workers who reasonably believe they have been bullied at work may apply to the Fair Work Commission for an order to stop the workplace bullying, The Commission does not cover all Australian workers and is limited to preventing the worker from being bullied at work and cannot issue fines or compensation. Details are available on the FWC website: Bullying | Fair Work Commission (fwc.gov.au)
An application to stop the bullying is available on Apply to stop bullying at work (Form F72) | Fair Work Commission (fwc.gov.au) The Fair Work Act provisions are available at FAIR WORK ACT 2009 - SECT 789FD When is a worker bullied at work? (austlii.edu.au) The employer cannot take action against the worker for taking this action FAIR WORK ACT 2009 - SECT 342 Meaning of adverse action (austlii.edu.au) Indeed this protection is available to workers who exercise or propose to exercise a workplace right. See Significant personal injury payout for an… | HopgoodGanim Lawyers. Health and Safety Laws also prohibit the dismissal of workers for a workplace injury within a prescribed period of time depending on the jursidiction.
A worker subject to bullying and harassment that causes an injury (whether physical or mental health) has as described a number of avenues for protection and compensation. As there is a strict legislated timeframe for commencing such claims there is no restriction in making claims where an incident is covered by Workplace bullying, Workplace Health and Safety laws and discrimination laws. Caldern can assist in providing information and always recommends seeking independent legal advice.
Phone: 1800 019 115Write your text here...
Contact Us for Support
Reach out for assistance regarding workplace bullying and harassment. dignity@caldern.org
This platform is invaluable for understanding and addressing workplace bullying in diverse people in emergency services.
A supportive resource that empowers diverse emergency responders to tackle bullying and harassment effectively.
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