Methodology for preventing and combating moral harassment in the workplace

General definition: Unwanted behavior (including of a sexual nature) that makes a person feel offended, humiliated, or intimidated, creating a hostile environment. May include repeated incidents.

Moral harassment: Any behavior exercised in connection with employment relationships (by superiors, subordinates or colleagues) that deteriorates working conditions by violating rights/dignity, affecting physical/mental health or compromising professional future. Includes hostile conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures. Stress and physical exhaustion fall under the scope of moral harassment.

Harassment based on gender: Unwanted behavior related to a person's sex, with the purpose or effect of violating their dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Physical conduct: Unwanted physical contact (touching), physical violence (including sexual assault), use of threats/rewards for sexual favors.

Verbal conduct: Inappropriate comments (appearance, private life), sexual jokes/stories, repeated and unwanted advances/invitations, sex-related insults, overly familiar remarks, humiliating/sexually explicit messages.

Nonverbal behavior: Displaying sexually explicit material, suggestive gestures, whistling, insistent staring (if systematic/repeated).

Other examples: Dissemination of offensive material, sexist/racist/homophobic insinuations/insults/remarks, offensive language about disabilities, embarrassing comments about physical appearance, spying/stalking/harassment, unwarranted questions about personal life/sexual orientation/ethnic origin, unwanted sexual advances, suggestions that sexual favors can influence career.

Who can submit: Any person who has an employment relationship with the West University of Timișora, arising from an individual employment contract, concluded for a fixed or indefinite period.

When can it be submitted: Whenever disagreements arise that can escalate, repeated aggressive actions, heightened tension, or stigmatization/isolation.

How to submit: Written (signed by hand or electronically) or verbally (minutes are drawn up) to the commission. Anonymous complaints may be examined if they contain concrete data.

Internal procedure (employer level):

• Informal: Informing the alleged harasser (if possible) or their superior/employee representative that the behavior is unwanted.
• Formal:
  • Step 1: Submitting the complaint/notification: Written or verbal (Ex. UVT: cpsch@e-uvt.ro).
  • Step 2: Case report: Conducted by the commission within max. 7 working days; includes data from the complaint, information from victim counseling and hearing of the alleged harasser. May propose protective measures.
  • Step 3: Survey: Separate interviewing of parties and witnesses, preparation of investigation report with findings and proposed measures. Total term max. 45 working days from filing the complaint.
• Solution: The commission prepares the final report with findings and measures, submitted to the management.

Victim assistance: The victim has the right to the support of an internal counselor, may be assisted by a union/employee representative and must be informed about the possibility of legal/psychological counseling.

Appointment: By administrative act of the leader.

Any person found guilty following the completion of the complaint/report analysis procedure may be sanctioned in accordance with the legal provisions in force. The nature of the sanctions will depend on the seriousness and extent of the acts of harassment. Proportionate sanctions will be applied to ensure that incidents of harassment are not treated as normal/tolerated behavior.