Latest news with #workplaceabuse
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- The Guardian
The law change that could transform toxic workplaces
Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were created to stop sensitive commercial information being shared. But the MeToo movement – and the crimes of Harvey Weinstein – shone a light on how the contracts were being used to silence victims of workplace abuse. Zelda Perkins was Harvey Weinstein's PA. When she broke the NDA that stopped her from talking about her terrible experiences with the film mogul she helped galvanise the MeToo movement. Since then she has been campaigning against the use of NDAs, which she says have helped cover up abuse in the workplace and allow powerful people to escape the consequences of their actions. Alexandra Topping tells Nosheen Iqbal how widespread the use of NDAs has become in British workplaces and how a change in the law could help put an end to them being misused. She explains how allowing employees to speak out could help change workplace culture for the better.
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- RNZ News
Drunk senior lawyer suspended for grabbing colleague's genitals, making lewd comments at Xmas party
By Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice reporter of Photo: 123RF A senior lawyer at a big law firm who grabbed a junior colleague's penis at a Christmas party and made lewd comments about people he worked with has been suspended for 15 months. The man, who has interim name suppression, was drunk at two different parties run by his firm several years ago. At the first, he commented about employees' genitalia and sex lives and touched staff inappropriately. At the second party weeks later, he spanked a woman with a piece of wood, kissed her on the top of the head and danced in a sexualised manner. The Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal described the man's behaviour as "appalling and uncouth". A hearing into his conduct was held earlier this year, at which several junior staff gave evidence that they had chosen to downplay how the behaviour affected them for fear of not being hired for a permanent role. Now, the same tribunal has ordered the man to be suspended from practising as a lawyer and to pay a combined $73,000 in compensation and legal fees. The tribunal compared his behaviour to inappropriate conduct by other lawyers it had penalised, such as James Gardner-Hopkins, Richard Dean Palmer and a "Mr Q". Gardner-Hopkins was suspended for touching five interns inappropriately, also at a Christmas party. Palmer was suspended for taking female interns to a sex shop and for a series of inappropriate emails, and Mr Q drunkenly offered a colleague "the best orgasm" of her life in a taxi ride home from a work event. The tribunal found that, in the latest case, the man's conduct was not strictly sexual or predatory, although it had sexual elements to it. In comparing the case to Palmer's, the tribunal said both involved "disregard for junior staff, and in both cases the junior staff were stressed and anxious as a result of the practitioner's conduct" and that this was "more invasive, humiliating and offensive than Mr Palmer's conduct". The tribunal said the man could be described as "completely out of control". 'What I think is funny, other people may not, I suppose' After the two incidents, the senior lawyer apologised to his affected colleagues, referred himself to a psychologist and reduced his alcohol intake significantly, before going sober altogether. He is now approaching four years of sobriety. In his affidavit to the tribunal earlier this year, he described his conduct as a "joke gone too far" and said he hadn't intended to offend anyone. "I've got a forthright sense of humour and can be provocative, and alcohol doesn't help that," he said. "What I think is funny, other people may not, I suppose." The tribunal said the man's sobriety was commendable, and it appeared he had made a full commitment to discovering and dealing with the factors which led him to behave as he did. "We consider that [the lawyer's] response has been significantly better than most other practitioners with whom we have dealt, who have had alcohol misuse problems," the tribunal said in a decision released today. Because of this, it had opted to significantly reduce the period of suspension he might otherwise have been given. "This is because we consider that one of the purposes of suspension, namely the opportunity for rehabilitation, has largely been served. "We are satisfied that he is, in the absence of intoxication, a skilful and solid lawyer and a considerate and supportive colleague and mentor." The man's name will continue to be suppressed to allow him time to appeal against the decision. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Victims of workplace abuse will no longer be silenced by NDAs, ministers will vow
Victims of workplace abuse will no longer be silenced by gagging orders, ministers vow today. The use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to hush up staff who have suffered sexual abuse or bullying will be banned under a new addition to Angela Rayner 's major expansion of workers' rights. The proposed amendment to her controversial Employment Rights Bill, due to be debated in the House of Lords next week, will mean any confidentiality clauses in settlements will be null and void if they prevent staff from speaking out about allegations of harassment or discrimination. Witnesses to 'abhorrent behaviour' in offices will also be able to call it out without the threat of being sued, the Department for Business and Trade said. It comes after a campaign led by former Cabinet minister Louise Haigh and whistleblower Zelda Perkins, who helped expose disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. On Monday night Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner said: 'We have heard the calls from victims of harassment and discrimination to end the misuse of NDAs. 'It is time we stamped this practice out - and this government is taking action to make that happen. 'The Employment Rights Bill will ban any NDA used for this purpose, so that no one is forced to suffer in silence.' And Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders said: 'The misuse of NDAs to silence victims or harassment or discrimination is an appalling practice that this government has been determined to end. 'These amendments will give millions of workers confidence that inappropriate behaviour in the workplace will be dealt with, not hidden, allowing them to get on with building a prosperous and successful career.' However it represents a U-turn as until just a few months ago the Government had expressed 'reservations' about the ban. According to the Sunday Times, Mr Madders said in March: 'A worker may want to settle a dispute over harassment and receive the confidentiality protections associated with a settlement agreement. 'The proposal may also impact on their ability to reach a settlement and avoid going to an employment tribunal, or may indeed reduce the value of such an agreement.'
South China Morning Post
03-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Japan firm slammed for forced nude photos, testicle-grabbing to punish mediocre staff
A Japanese company has sparked outrage by dishing out degrading punishments to staff who fail to meet sales targets. Advertisement Underperforming employees were forced to take nude photos of themselves and were physically assaulted, including having their testicles grabbed by the boss. The incident came to light after five former employees of the Neo Corporation, headquartered in Osaka, filed a lawsuit in March alleging verbal abuse and power harassment. Founded in 1999, the Neo Corporation sells electricity and energy-saving equipment, as well as installing it. The firm has nine branches across Japan. Five former employees filed a lawsuit against the Neo Corporation in March. Photo: Shutterstock The company had previously drawn attention for its bold recruitment advertisements, which claimed that the average annual income for sales staff in 2024 was 14.27 million yen (US$98,000), with 57.1 per cent of its salespeople earning more than 10 million yen (US$70,000) a year.
South China Morning Post
13-06-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Sick Chinese worker requesting time off criticised for being weak, needing psychiatric help
A human resources supervisor in southeastern China triggered widespread public outrage and initiated a government investigation after verbally insulting an employee who requested sick leave for a fever, labelling her 'too weak' and suggesting she seek psychiatric help. The controversy gained public attention on June 5, when a female employee – whose identity remains undisclosed – shared on social media that she had been verbally abused by her employer after asking for sick leave due to a fever. The company, Vision Entertainment, founded in 2018 and based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, operates as a multichannel network service provider in the live-streaming e-commerce industry. According to her post, she developed a fever of 37.9 degrees Celsius and asked her human resources supervisor, surnamed Huang, for just one hour of sick leave. In her post, the employee mentioned that she developed a fever of 37.9 degrees Celsius and requested just one hour of sick leave from her HR supervisor. Photo: Shutterstock Instead of receiving understanding or support, she reported being subjected to nearly two hours of verbal abuse. Screenshots of their conversation shared online showed that Huang dismissed her request, stating: 'You're too weak. My goodness, can't even handle 38 degrees?'
