Anti Harassment Policy
Because harassment is a serious incident demanding caution, justice, and immediate action, the anti harassment policy aims to prevent violating the dignity of employees. It defines harassment and provides examples, outlines the procedures for reporting and investigating it, and clarifies the disciplinary actions for harassment.
Created by
Naif O. Alawbathani
|
Human Resources Adviser
Written by HR expertsFully customizableSaudi labor law ComplaintShare the calculator with an HR college
What’s included in the anti harassment policy?
The anti harassment policy provides a clear and concise definition of workplace harassment, detailing its various forms to ensure clarity. It highlights the severity of harassing women, emphasizing a zero-tolerance approach to such conduct.
To support victims, the policy outlines an easy-to-understand reporting mechanism, ensuring individuals feel safe coming forward. It also emphasizes the legal protection afforded to the reporting party and guarantees confidentiality.
The policy further details the investigation procedures for reported incidents and clarifies the disciplinary actions that will be taken, which may include referral to judicial authorities.
The policy underscores the importance of training and educating employees about workplace harassment to spread awareness and prevent demeaning incidents. It also specifies that the policy applies not only to employees but also to any other parties interacting with employees.
Anti Harassment Policy - Table of contents
1. Policy Statement
2. Scope
3. Definition of Harassment
4. Harassment Against Women
5. Reporting Mechanism
6. Investigation & Disciplinary Actions
7. Training & Awareness
Why do you need an anti harassment policy?
First line of defense to prevent harassment in the workplace.
Establishing a culture of respect where employees don't feel intimidated or humiliated.
Helping avoid massive problems and complexities that can escalate to court.
Protecting company reputation from damage and from losing outstanding talent.
How do you use the model?
Download the template and review the content.
Customize it with name, logo and composition of your workforce.
Require employees to sign an acknowledgment of review. Add to the onboarding process.
Ensure compliance by getting an anti harassment policy reviewed by a legal/HR expert.
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FAQ
How do you write an anti harassment policy?
To write an effective anti harassment policy, thoroughly explain prohibited conduct, leaving no room for misinterpretation. Detail behaviors like insults, threats,and bullying, alongside specific examples such as derogatory comments about heritage, physical threats, or distributing inappropriate material. Additionally, the policy must explicitly address online and remote harassment, acknowledging that prohibited behavior extends to digital interactions via chat, email, or video meetings.
How to prevent harassment in the workplace?
Based on the anti harassment Charter in the Workplace issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, preventing workplace harassment involves several measures. These include taking necessary arrangements to avoid private seclusion between genders, ensuring that meetings with the opposite gender occur in open areas or with the door left open.
The charter also obliges employees to lower their gaze and refrain from discussing personal matters outside of work-related topics, even in jest. Furthermore, it stipulates that a female employee's hijab must be modest, loose-fitting, and opaque.
How does Anti Harassment Law handle harassment in the workplace ?
Saudi Anti Harassment Law issued in 1439 mandates that relevant departments in private entities establish measures to prevent and combat workplace harassment. This includes creating a complaint mechanism, ensuring confidential verification procedures, and publicizing these measures to all staff.
Furthermore, these entities must implement disciplinary actions against any personnel violating the law's provisions, in line with their internal procedures. Importantly, these disciplinary measures do not preclude the victim's right to file a complaint with external competent authorities.
What is the penalty for harassment in the workplace?
In Saudi Arabia, workplace harassment is a serious offense with significant legal consequences, as outlined in the Anti Harassment Law. If harassment occurs in the workplace, or if the perpetrator has direct or indirect authority over the victim, the penalties are severe. The accused may face:
Imprisonment for up to five years.
A fine of up to SAR 300,000.
Or both imprisonment and the fine.
What is the anti harassment process?
The anti harassment process provides an accountable and expedited procedure for management to address allegations of harassment. Its goal is to stop harassing conduct at the earliest possible stage, even if it doesn't yet meet the legal threshold for unlawful harassment. This process encourages individuals to come forward by offering a clear reporting mechanism, often through a supervisor. It ensures a prompt, thorough, and impartial inquiry into allegations, provides interim relief when necessary, and, if harassment is substantiated, leads to immediate corrective action, including disciplinary measures against the perpetrator. The process also protects those who report or provide information from retaliation.