WHAT IS WORKPLACE HARASSMENT?

Yes, such act by your manager is indeed workplace harassment. 

What does workplace harassment mean?

Harassment can include "offensive jokes, insults, swearing or name-calling, physical attacks or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or humiliation, offensive objects or images, and interference with work performance".

While the most basic types of harassment are verbal and psychological, there are also more serious forms such as physical and sexual. All types of workplace harassment are illegal. Not only do they affect an employee's productivity, comfort and safety at work, but they can also expose an organization to legal liability if harassment is not dealt with properly.

Harassment also occurs under a varied circumstances such as:

• The harasser can be a victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another branch, a representative of the employer, a co-worker or a person who is not an employee.

• The victim does not have to be the person who was harassed; it could be anyone affected by the offensive behaviour.