The Ministry of Labor is going to amend the Labor Code, introducing the concept of workplace harassment. The initiative, designed to make work conditions for Kazakhstanis safer, is already available for public consideration in the form of a draft document.
According to the agency, up to 30% of employees face workplace harassment one way or another. Even though Kazakhstan hasn’t ratified the Violence and Harassment Convention of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the country must take all necessary actions to protect workers from violence and harassment, the ministry said.
In order to prevent workplace harassment, authorities suggest obliging employers to step in. Under the draft law, the Labor Code might be amended to include the term harassment itself, as this is the baseline for any potential complaint from workers and subsequent protection actions by authorities.
The positive attitude on the side of employers is not guaranteed, though, as they may misinterpret new rules or misuse them due to a lack of legal awareness, fear of publicity and reputational risks, for example. However, the problem could be solved with the help of relevant methodological materials, training and special procedures for confidential examination of each case of harassment, the draft law emphasized.
The document will be available for public comment until May 15.
Last summer, the Labor Ministry rejected the idea of introducing criminal and administrative liability for workplace harassment. This type of misbehavior must be punished with firing, the agency said at the time.
