Assumptions of amendments to new regulations on bullying have been published
At the end of last year, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy announced the start of work on revising the definition of bullying, as we wrote about here.
This week the assumptions of a draft amendment to the Labour Code on this issue were officially published on a list of legislative and program work of the Council of Ministers.
Below are the most important elements of the draft law assumptions:
- Order and similarity of code definitions of bullying and discrimination
Bullying, like harassment, is meant to include physical as well as verbal and non-verbal actions.
- Simplification of the definition of bullying
Bullying is to be understood as persistent harassment of an employee. The purpose of the perpetrator's behaviour will cease to count. To make it easier to identify bullying, the Labour Code is to indicate a number of its characteristic features. The Ministry also wants to introduce a “rational victim model” to reduce the abuse of bullying claims by employees.
- Specification of the scope of employer duties
Employers will have to apply preventive measures: detect and respond quickly to irregularities, take corrective action, and support those affected by unequal treatment or harassment. The employer's detailed obligations will have to be set forth in work regulations or a notice. Proper fulfilment of these obligations will exempt the employer from civil liability to the employee.
- Financial consequences of bullying
The lower threshold of compensation for bullying is to be defined (the initial announcement mentioned six times the victim's monthly salary).
The draft is expected to reach Parliament in Q3 2025.