Event of victimisation
Event of victimisation is included in the Organisational and Social Work Environment provisions (AFS 2015:4).
What is victimisation?
AFS 2015:4 defines victimisation as “Actions done in an abusive manner targeted at one or more employees that may give rise to ill health or to exclusion from the workplace community” (Sect. 4, AFS 2015:4, Organisational and Social Work Environment). This may involve insulting or omitting an employee, excluding or making things difficult for them by withholding important information, or not inviting them to meetings that they should have participated in.
If the matter is based on any of the grounds of discrimination, it may additionally be a matter of discrimination.
Temporary differences of opinion, conflicts or problems cooperating do not necessarily constitute victimisation. These types of situations may however give rise to victimisation if they escalate and become personal conflicts and those involved lose their sense of reciprocity and respect for personal integrity. Actions may risk becoming unethical and over the longer term may affect the health of individual employees. Within ongoing conflicts, both parties usually feel violated by the other. It is therefore important for preventive work environment efforts to pay attention to early signs and mitigate conflicts before they escalate.
A place of work in which victimisation takes place can sometimes be characterised by a poor work environment featuring, for example, competition between workers, high workload, lack of leadership, and unclear objectives and roles.
Preventive measures
Various measures can be taken at different levels to prevent problems within an organisation. At an organisational level, Mid Sweden University works pro-actively with salary criteria, management and leadership development, competence development, participation in the organisation’s decisions and employee surveys. Governance documents such as policies, administrative procedures and guidelines are also in place. At a group level, the focus is on systematic management of the working environment, fostering support and collaboration, and creating awareness about behaviours and conflicts. At an individual level, staff in managerial or head-of-department positions focus on participation, competence development and awareness of behaviours and conflicts.
Mid Sweden University’s position
Mid Sweden University must be a higher education institution and work place that is free from victimisation, bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and retaliation. The equality of all people is a self-evident and fundamental prerequisite for all activities at Mid Sweden University. Our organisation is based on a foundation of participation and conversation. Employees and students alike are to be treated and received with respect and dignity, which means that everybody has the right to be taken seriously, be shown consideration and given attention. Differences must be respected in order to foster the individual’s opportunity to work or study, and to develop Mid Sweden University’s activities.
Mid Sweden University shall counteract discrimination and otherwise promote equal rights and opportunities, regardless of a person’s gender, gender identity, age, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual orientation or functional impediment.
Employees and students at Mid Sweden University are expected to actively contribute towards ensuring that the working environment is free from victimisation, bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and retaliation. According to work environment legislation, employees must do their part to ensure a good working environment and they have a responsibility to draw attention to shortcomings in the work place that may give rise to ill health. Employees are encouraged to promptly report any knowledge or signs of shortcomings in the work place to their immediate head of department/manager, or to the Safety representative. In a good working environment employees should feel comfortable to point out, notify and speak out, both for themselves and for others, about situations where there is unacceptable behaviour.
Who should I turn to?
For employees
If you are an employee who believes you are being subjected to victimisation, bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or retaliation, or if you witness an employee, head of department/manager or student being subjected to such behaviour, you should initially contact the head of department/manager for the department/unit concerned. If this is not possible, you should contact the next manager in line, union representative or safety representative that you deem appropriate. It can be more difficult to address a situation if a long time has passed since the incident occurred. For this reason, it is important to make contact as soon as possible. Other functions can also provide advice, support and information such as Occupational health services or the Equality Ombudsman (DO).
For students
If you are a student who feels you are being subjected to victimisation, bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or retaliation, or if you witness another student or employee being subjected to such behaviour, you should contact the head of department/manager for the department/unit concerned. It can be more difficult to address a situation if a long time has passed since the event occurred. For this reason, it is important to make contact as soon as possible. You can also contact other functions for advice, support and information such as the deputy head of department, the head of administration, teachers, the student safety representative, Student health services or the Equality Ombudsman (DO).
Reporting and registration
In accordance with the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400), all documents received by Mid Sweden University or that have been drawn up within Mid Sweden University are public and official, and any individual can request access to them. Each time a request for a document is received a confidentiality assessment can be made. There are nevertheless limited possibilities to classify information as secret, so matters may be retried in a court of law.
A report should include the following:
- an account of what happened
- when it took place
- name of the person subjected to inappropriate behaviour and their place of work or study
- name of the person accused of inappropriate behaviour and their place of work or study
- names of any witnesses
All documentation related to victimisation, bullying, discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment is to be registered once the case has been closed.
How should the matter be handled?
If a head of department/manager is made aware that, in the context of their work or studies, an employee or student may have been subjected to victimisation, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or retaliation, the head of department/manager has a duty to immediately act to inhibit any escalation of health risks. The head of department/manager must ensure that the circumstances are investigated and documented, and when applicable, take and follow up the measures required to prevent the same thing occurring again (AFS 2015:4, AFS 2001:1, Discrimination Act 2008:567).