We provide advice to both Employers and Employees on all aspects of bullying and harassment in the workplace.

The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2008 place an obligation on all Employers in Ireland to prevent harassment in the workplace. Under this law, an Employee is entitled to bring a claim to the Equality Tribunal and an employer may be obliged to pay compensation if an Employee can show that they are discriminated in relation to any of the following grounds.

• Gender
• Marital status
• Family status, for example, as a parent of a child
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Disability
• Race
• Religious belief
• Membership of the Traveller community

Harassment and Bullying at Work

Harassment based on any of the above grounds is a form of discrimination in relation to conditions of employment.

The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2008 define harassment as “unwanted conduct” which is related to any of the 9 discriminatory grounds above. Sexual harassment is any form of “unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature”. In both cases it is defined as conduct which “has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person” and it is prohibited under the Acts.

Harassment and bullying at work which is not linked to a discriminatory ground is a health and safety issue and Healy O’Connor Solicitors LLP provide advice on all matters in relation to health and safety in the workplace.

All employers should have a policy and procedure in place to deal with and prevent harassment at work and we draft such policies which set out what is unacceptable behaviour at work. We provide advice to employers on effective grievance or complaints procedures which should be in place to deal with complaints about harassment. All Employees must be aware of these policy and procedures.

Contact us

Healy O’Connor Solicitors LLP provide representation at the Workplace Relations Commission to deal with cases which arise in relation to bullying and harassment matters. For further information, please feel free to contact us at info@hoc.ie or freephone 1800 54 54 54