Instructions for dealing with harassment of employees

Decision by the Head of Human Resources Office on 28 June 2012, Ref. No. SU 673-1794-12

These are Stockholm University's university-wide instructions for handling harassment under the Discrimination Act (2008:567) when an employee experiences victimisation. Please note that the university has different procedures for investigating harassment depending on whether it concerns students or employees. For more information on how the university handles harassment against students, see the related link below.

The university's responsibility

According to the Discrimination Act, employers are obliged to prevent and prevent harassment related to gender, religion or any of the grounds for discrimination gender, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age. At Stockholm University, employer refers to the Head of Department or equivalent Head of Unit. This means that the Head of Department/Head of Unit is responsible for preventing harassment and ensuring that there are functioning procedures for how occurrences of harassment are to be handled at the department/unit

This is how you as a manager deal with harassment

1. If you become aware that an employee is experiencing harassment from another employee, you should contact the Human Resources Office.
2. The Human Resources Office will investigate whether harassment has occurred.
3. If the investigation concludes that harassment has occurred, the Head of Department or equivalent manager is responsible for stopping the harassment.
   

If an employee experiences harassment

If a manager at the university becomes aware that an employee is experiencing harassment by another employee or manager, the manager must act immediately by ensuring that the harassment stops and contact the Human Resources Office.

Obligation to investigate

If Stockholm University becomes aware that an employee, in connection with their work, experiences harassment by another employee, the university is, according to the Discrimination Act, obliged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged harassment and, where appropriate, take measures to prevent harassment in the future. If the university violates the obligation to investigate, the university (the department in question) risks paying discrimination compensation under the Discrimination Act.

The Human Resources Office is responsible for the investigation

The Human Resources Office carries out an investigation when an employee experiences what may be harassment by another employee. The purpose of the investigation is to establish the circumstances surrounding the allegations. The investigation concludes with a written judgement communicated to those involved and to the Head of the Department concerned. If it is established that harassment has occurred under the Discrimination Act, the department must immediately take measures to stop the harassment.

If an employee who experiences harassment is dissatisfied with the investigation or the university's standpoint, the employee can contact the Equality Ombudsman, DO.

Prohibition of reprisals

According to the Discrimination Act, an employee who reports harassment or participates in an investigation of such harassment may not be exposed to negative measures (‘reprisals’) by the university.