Q: I am trying to
find some information on laws or policies relating
to workplace bullying in Trinidad & Tobago.
A: Everyone
should be treated with dignity and respect at work. Bullying and harassment of
any kind are in no-one's interest and should not be tolerated in the workplace.
Bullying
may be characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting
behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine,
humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient. Bullying itself isn’t against the
law, but harassment is unlawful under the Offences Against the Person(Amendment) (Harassment) Act, (2005).
Examples
of bullying or harassing behaviour in the workplace could include:
- spreading
malicious rumours, or insulting someone by word or behaviour (particularly
on the grounds of age, race, sex, disability, sexual orientation and
religion or belief)
- copying
memos that are critical about someone to others who do not need to know
- ridiculing
or demeaning someone – picking on them or setting them up to fail
- exclusion
or victimisation
- unfair
treatment
- overbearing
supervision or other misuse of power or position
- unwelcome
sexual advances – touching, standing too close, the display of offensive
materials, asking for sexual favours, making decisions on the basis of
sexual advances being accepted or rejected
- making
threats or comments about job security without foundation
- deliberately
undermining a competent worker by overloading and constant criticism
- preventing
individuals progressing by intentionally blocking promotion or training
opportunities.
What
employees should do if they’re bullied or harassed
Employees should see if they can sort out the problem informally first. If they can’t, they should talk to their:
Employees should see if they can sort out the problem informally first. If they can’t, they should talk to their:
- manager
- human resources
(HR) department
- trade union
representative
- Legal action
(last resort)
I firstly want to thank you so much for this site...you are a blessing to everyone who have read and who have asked questions and got answers. God Bless you.
ReplyDeleteI have a question, My manager has been bullying me for some time now, and because I refused to go to do something out of my scope of work he has been more malicious towards me in the most petty ways. he has been accusing me for things he cannot prove and twisting my words to the directors of the company he also went so low as to record a meeting we had based on the same issue.
HR sent me an email to summons me to a meeting with him, when i asked for an agenda to prepare myself if not i may not attend until they advise me as to the issue. they told me i was being insubordinate and they should not give me an agenda. I was informed that my manager had a meeting with the industrial relations consultant who informed him that he can record the meeting with his cell phone without me knowing...can you tell me if i am wrong.
No educated, experienced consultant would tell a manager to record a conversation without the employee's permission because it cannot be used as evidence in any hearing regarding your employment, so if I were you, I'd be happy knowing that my manager was being advised by an idiot.
DeleteYou need to start recording everything that happens at work. You need to start compiling your evidence in a chronological way in case this goes any further.
I have a question
DeleteIm working mts and my supervisors is placing me very far from where i live to work where there are close locations to where i live and there is alot of locations. Compaired to all of my co workers it seem unfair and it been about 4 years now and its realy unbearable now. I dont know what to do. My number is 3711564. Thanks.
My issues are similar my boss has been bullying me for a few months now. I was hired by word of mouth, not bound by contract and no definitive job description provided. This was 3.5 years ago, the past few months she has insulted me publicly in front of patients and colleagues alike, puts me down, twists my words and deliberately creates situations to create problems. She demands that I sit down to a performance appraisal but I have only done so once and that merely served as a platform to further degrade me and decimate my performance. I have recently been diagnosed with depression and anxiety due to this unrelenting form of abuse I am presently medicated in order to cope, please other than leave my position which I intend to do eventually can you advise me as to how best I can handle this woman. She is a cardiologist and I am her PA. To date I have not been issued a single disciplinary letter nor has she provided opportunities to train me for the skill deficits she regularly identifies
ReplyDeleteA letter. I was hoping you would've contacted me privately a long time ago on this.
DeleteUnfortunately, workplace harassment and bullying is not against the law unless it involves a physical action, racist, sexist or other action which is defined in discrimination laws.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning I need your assistance. Now I have read your Ms. Greene's contribution could you elaborate on this. I am hoping to contact you privately on a matter. But I can give you a synopsis here. My BF's boss is a bully. My BF work in a small office and there is a clique in fact there is a division of workers between one shift and another shift. Therefore he has no one to who will back him up however in the many interactions the manager has had with my BF he has utilized the company's phone to call me. I am involved in industrial relations so I try to advise him as best as possible. However apparently the boss used this information apparently, traced my personal phone number and called me and harassed and threatened me on the phone, I had to call the police. I spoke to the CFO of the company and he was no help not even an apology for what I went through added to this he made sure to state that this is a matter between myself and the manager. I indicated that he was representing the company at the time but he just said send him a report. Nothing to this date has come out of it. I should also add that I am such a threat to the company that the manager in question is seeking for me to be banned from the premises which is not only does not belong to him but not even the company they are renting from another institution. I am hoping that I can contact you personally with this so I can elaborate more on the situation.
ReplyDeleteYou can contact me about employment issues only via www.jbemploymentconsulting.com
DeleteI had a medical procedure done on my eyes because of a torn retina. During an incident at work my boss told me that I will be excused because I am blind and the co-workers present and himself had a good laugh. I walked away humiliated and embarrass. He then called me to return to his office but I did not.
ReplyDeleteNow I am being charged for disobedience and insubordination for my action. Could his action be harassment?
Harassment usually requires ongoing actions, not a one off.
DeleteIs recording someone with out their consent or knowledge against the law in our country?
ReplyDeleteGood day colleagues, if you are being bullied contact the Equal Opportunity Commission and file a complaint. Trinidad and Tobago has put laws in place to protect you from bullies. My organisation will be running a training program on bullying in the workplace. Call me for more information or if you would like to register 765-7365
ReplyDeleteHi,i am a female and my supervisor has squeezed my butt and make rude comments to me and i am in the construction industry what can i do about it?
ReplyDeleteJust got $66,000 for a worker in a similar matter through our union. Email me privately.
Deletehttp://trinidadandtobagolegalrights.blogspot.com/2015/10/sexual-harassment-in-trinidad-and-tobago.html
Does the Offences Against the Person(Amendment) (Harassment) Act, (2005) apply to persons being bullied at school?
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy colleague at work is continuously spreading false rumors about me. When I walk into the room he constantly stupes at the sight of me. He recently started a rumor on work that I am distributing pornography on work, which is not true. I know some people in the work place may think that its a joke but this is becoming more serious as time goes by. Are there laws against coworkers seeking to tarnish another coworkers reputation? Please help me.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have been experiencing workplace bullying by another colleague. He continuously spreading malicious lies about me to other people who work within the organisation. His latest attempt is that I have been circulating pornography to people within my organisation which isn't true. I am so fed up of his lies its not funny...Please advise me accordingly
I have been experiencing bullying in my work place from a CO worker, she always insist that I'm gay, and recently posted a video in the work group, with a woman performing oral on a next young lady. And she is saying that ppl who do these things are stink and nasty... I want to floor this girl so bad, but I don't want to lose my job. Please advise me accordingly thank u
ReplyDeleteFirst thing first.. wrong act especially when it comes to the work place.. u should use and read the EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT 22:03. also u can read up the COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT which will guide u on your complaint.. also if u are a member of a trade union u can take the matter to your shopstewart present at the work place...
ReplyDeleteIf someone use hostile language against you and embarrass you in front of the entire staff. How do I treat with that?
ReplyDeleteQuestion someone at my work reported my boss to OSHA and he got really mad because his wife and I don't get along she told him it may be me after that he started harassing me in various ways saying thing like he feels uncomfortable working with me,does not want me in the dispensary acting like if I have a disease after a few days he calm down letting me work in the dispensary but throwing mean comments about race etc he goes on about the person who reported him has to write a letter of apology and how he will get his lawyer to make OSHA get the individuals who reported him,how he will fire them for opening a can of worms and they wont not get any letter of recommendation from him beside saying all these awful things I have not said anything to him noting disrespectful I just stayed quiet through it all I just want to know is there anything I should do or could do my depression is all time high I feel frustrated and I dread going to work everyday.
ReplyDeleteI can't read this without punctuation.
DeleteMy manager is being victimizing the workers by moving them from the area that they signed a contract to work in and putting them in another area because she knows they dont like it. Added to that she's trying to tell them they have to mop and sweep when no part of the contract states that and giving people only 2 days of work whenever they have an issue and calls to say they cant make it to work... What do you advise we do
ReplyDeleteHey,
ReplyDeleteI have an issue where we plan vacation time a year in advance in my job. However at the end of the year I have 2 weeks vacation, a close relative of mine passed away the person was like my dad so I asked my HR officer if i can get 1 week of my vacation during that hard time and she told me yes after she would have discussed it with my supervisor. Now my vacation is approaching and I'm being told by my supervisor that I can't get my other week vacation because she allowed me to take 1 week prior to my actual vacation. Now I didn't take the entire vacation that time plus it was an emergency because no one knows when you will loose a loved one. Because I spoke about it with HR and my supervisor and reapplied for my week vacation. I was presented with a warning letter for late coming which reflected me coming late because I had the flu/virus and I had to force to attend work for 2 weeks while having the flu. I'm sure I was given the letter to shut me up so I would no longer press the matter. I will like to know is this right, and can they do that?
My sister is being bullied at work she is constantly being harassed laughed at taunted and spoken abt in the office she complained to HR but the ppl that are doing it are good friends with HR and her complaints fall on deaf ears my sis is at a point where this is affecting her mentally and i am afraid that one day she trips.....she is not sleeping or eating and is losing weight can you plz assist.
ReplyDeleteShe should consult with a trade union.
Delete