The bullying of academics follows a pattern of horrendous, Orwellian elimination rituals, often hidden from the public. Despite the anti-bullying policies (often token), bullying is rife across campuses, and the victims (targets) often pay a heavy price.
"Nothing strengthens authority as much as silence." Leonardo da Vinci - "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men [or good women] do nothing." -- Edmund Burke
January 16, 2009
Is this harassment?
This guy goes around telling his support staff that unless they meet the arbitrary targets he set for them, then their position will become untenable. Is this harassment?
Anonymous
3 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Probably not, though the law seems be be murky on that point. For example, in my country, if a supervisor puts information in a subordinate's personnel file that's incorrect, that subordinate would have no protection under the law unless it becomes public. Should that happen, then aspects of libel and defamation come into play and a lawsuit might then be warranted.
But a supervisor merely saying something is probably perfectly legal and won't constitute harassment.
Depends on whether or not it is persistent and/or if it is unwarranted. If there is proof that the targets constitute patently unreasonable management instructions, then it could be harassment. Or at least it could be a basis for not complying, and if anything happens to this person's position, then he/she would be able to claim for unfair dismissal. At least this would be the case in the UK, but not in the US where one can be fired for just about any reason or no reason at all.
In order to make a claim for harassment or unfair dismissal, one needs credible witnesses and/or written evidence concerning the threat. In such matters, the onus will have to be on the employee to prove the case.
3 comments:
Probably not, though the law seems be be murky on that point. For example, in my country, if a supervisor puts information in a subordinate's personnel file that's incorrect, that subordinate would have no protection under the law unless it becomes public. Should that happen, then aspects of libel and defamation come into play and a lawsuit might then be warranted.
But a supervisor merely saying something is probably perfectly legal and won't constitute harassment.
El Cid
Depends on whether or not it is persistent and/or if it is unwarranted. If there is proof that the targets constitute patently unreasonable management instructions, then it could be harassment. Or at least it could be a basis for not complying, and if anything happens to this person's position, then he/she would be able to claim for unfair dismissal. At least this would be the case in the UK, but not in the US where one can be fired for just about any reason or no reason at all.
In order to make a claim for harassment or unfair dismissal, one needs credible witnesses and/or written evidence concerning the threat. In such matters, the onus will have to be on the employee to prove the case.
El Cid
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