With the development of the economy, more and more people are having jobs in companies. As a result, they may encounter some problems in their workplace. Among these problems, victimisation is one of the most serious ones. Victimisation refers to any form of discrimination or harassment against an employee or applicants because he or she has raised a complaint about discrimination or harassment in the workplace.
Victimisation can occur at any workplace and in any occupation. Some common examples of victimisation include: refusing to give an employee a promotion or transfer, denying the employee access to training, reassigning the employee to less favourable duties, denying the employee certain benefits or entitlements, denying the employee opportunities for advancement.
Victimisation includes the following:
- Treating an employee or aplicant less favourably than other employees are treated
- Deliberately excluding an employee from decisions regarding promotion/dismissal/transfer/demotion/training/working hours
- Refusing to employ an applicant who has previously complained about discrimination in his/her job interview
Victimisation can be committed by employers and employees alike. If you believe you are being victimised at work or if you are accused of victimisation at work, you should seek legal advice from someone who can advise you on your legal rights and options.
Employers have a duty to prevent it as well; that is, they have to take active steps to ensure that their employees are not subjected to any form of unfair treatment by other employees at work. An employer who fails in this regard can be held liable for damages awarded against him in court.
