Bullied workers risk the sack

14 June 2004

BRUSSELS – Victims of workplace harassment in Belgium who file a formal complaint increase their risk of being fired by 30 percent, a new report revealed on Monday.

In certain cases, employers also give workers a sum of money as an incentive not to bring a formal complaint, says the study by Arista, a Belgian association that helps small businesses with health and safety issues.

According to the study, the practice still goes on despite the fact that new Belgian anti-harassment legislation specifically forbids employers from firing workers simply because they claim they have been harassed.

The report shows that certain dismissals are made at the request of the harassed workers themselves, though that is the exception rather than the rule.

Subject: Belgian news