Handling workplace harassment
A video of a Chinese employer flogging a waiter at Chez Wou restaurant for arriving late to work recently went viral. The allegations by the staff that this assault was commonplace at the premises and all of them were scared of speaking against it prompts a discussion on workplace harassment. Jobs are not easy to come by, and in your desperation to keep yours, you might find yourself putting up with brutal workplace harassment. Here’s how you should handle it such instances:
Know your contract by heart
Upon employment you are issued with an employee handbook. In a less formal setting you should ask where you can lodge any complaints. You should go through the handbook to know what action to take should you experience any form of harassment.
Human Resources Department
This department exists to take care of issues like this. When presenting the case to them make sure you give a proper account of what happened. You should jot down the incidents from what was said or done, time and location is important. If they aren’t helpful or try and get you to sweep it under the rug seek exterior legal intervention.
Join a Sacco
These should be independent from the company. Because saccos help you save they can prove helpful if you have to take a break from your job. This would be to handle the harassment case.
The law
The Kenyan constitution maintains that all employees have a right to fair labour practices, freedom, security, dignity and freedom from any form of discrimination. So if you have evidence of a breach of any of these the law backs you up.
Get co-workers to back you up
If the person harassing you is in a position of power, chances are you are not their first victim. Tell a trusted colleague about your experience so if need be they’ll testify for you. If not the news will still spread because it’s bad news. That way, people will know there’s some truth to what you are claiming.
