Adult Bullying/Harassment

The procedure set out below may be initiated in relation to any of the following circumstances, which may occur in the workplace or otherwise in the course of employment.

• Adult bullying
• Sexual harassment or
• Harassment on other specified discriminatory grounds which could in the circumstances be regarded as offensive, humiliating or intimidating.

Any such behaviour is not acceptable within the school. A complaint of sexual harassment of bullying may result in disciplinary action. Where a complaint of sexual harassment or bullying is not upheld, no action shall be taken against the complainant provided the allegation was made in good faith. If the complaint was brought maliciously, it should be treated as misconduct and the disciplinary procedure invoked.

It is also open to any member who considers that he/she is being discriminated against, to contact his/her CEC District Representative or INTO Head Office with a view to referring a complaint to the Director of Equality Investigations or Labour Court, as the case may be.

For the purposes of the procedures outlined in this document, the METNS adopts the definition of bullying set out by the Health and Safety Authority which is:

“Bullying in the workplace is repeated aggression, verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by an individual or group against another person or persons. Bullying is where aggression or cruelty, viciousness, intimidation or a need to humiliate, dominate the relationships. Isolated incidents of aggressive behaviour, while to be condemned, should not be described as bullying. In the workplace environment there can be conflicts and interpersonal difficulties. Many of these are legitimate industrial relations difficulties which should be dealt with through the appropriate industrial relations channels. Only aggressive behaviour which is systematic and ongoing should be regarded as bullying.”

Adult bullying can take many forms which usually include:

• intimidation or harassment
• aggression
• verbal abuse
• humiliation
• undermining
• dominance or abuse of power
• different or unfavourable treatment
• exclusion or isolation

Key features of adult bullying are that the behaviour is generally:

• persistent and/or systematic
• unwanted
• subtle
• non-physical

The exercise of legitimate management functions, in a reasonable and fair manner, does not constitute bullying.