An absence of workplace bullying reports did not mean an employer wasn't aware of the conduct, a court has found, in awarding an employee more than $950k in damages for a psychiatric injury.
In deciding not to make stop-bullying orders, the Fair Work Commission doesn't "in all cases" need to first determine whether bullying has occurred, if it considers a current employee is not at risk of such conduct in the future, a full bench has confirmed.
It's not uncommon for employees to find investigations stressful and upsetting, but this doesn't mean they're unreasonable, a Fair Work Commissioner has commented in dismissing a stop-bullying application.
Evidence that an HRBP actively tried to help resolve an employee's issues with a colleague's behaviour has helped an employer defend a constructive dismissal claim.
A workplace complaints process required some "reasonably painful bureaucratic steps", but it didn't leave an aggrieved employee with no option other than to resign, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
An employer that stopped rostering a casual worker after she lodged a stop-bullying application effectively sacked her, according to the Fair Work Commission, meaning it now has to face her general protections claim.
Workplace ostracism doesn't just affect the victim; it has "ripple effects" across the organisation if witnessed by other employees, according to researchers.
In a workplace conflict where both employees appeared to give unreliable evidence, the Fair Work Commission has declined to issue stop-bullying orders, ruling the incidents were more about "differing opinions" than "sabotage" and disrespect.
