The number of consultations about power harassment in the workplace has risen at a remarkable pace.
Though companies have been urged to implement preventive measures, some claim that it is difficult to draw a line between such harassment and instructions necessary for the execution of work duties.
This autumn, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry will convene a panel of experts to discuss whether companies are obliged to take measures against power harassment.
"Power harassment cripples one's spirit," said a 55-year-old woman from Nagoya. "Victims are led to believe they're insignificant, which could cause irreparable harm. It must never be tolerated."
The woman's eldest daughter, then 21, joined a company in Nagoya after graduating from high school. In June 2012, she jumped to her death from her condominium unit.
In December 2013, a labor standards inspection office ruled her suicide to be primarily caused by power harassment and classified her death as work-related.
Her parents sued the company, their daughter's senior colleague and others involved. In a ruling by the Nagoya High Court in November 2017, the court acknowledged that power harassment had occurred and that it was a factor in the daughter's suicide, ordering the company and other defendants to pay about 55 million yen in damages. The case is now being heard by the Supreme Court.
According to the high court ruling, their daughter had been repeatedly admonished by her senior colleague, who scolded her for "repeatedly making the same mistakes," among other reprimands.
"I want the government and the company to take effective measures as soon as possible," the victim's mother said.
72,000 reported cases
According to data on labor consultations at Labor Bureaus nationwide, "bullying and harassment," in which power harassment may have occurred, was the most discussed topic for the sixth straight year, with more than 72,000 cases in fiscal 2017.
The same year, a record-high 88 cases of bullying or harassment were acknowledged to have caused mental illness that led to work-related accidents.
In a survey conducted by the ministry in 2016, one out of three company workers said they had suffered power harassment within the past three years.
Companies are under pressure to devise preventive measures against power harassment, but practices differ by firm. According to a 2016 labor ministry survey, 90 percent of companies with 1,000 or more employees had preventive measures in place. However, less than 30 percent of small and midsize firms with less than 100 employees had such policies.
Though "sexual harassment" and "maternity harassment" are both broadly classified as harassment, companies must regulate the former based on the Equal Employment Opportunity Law and the latter based on the Child-rearing and Nursing Care Leave Law.
The laws require companies to maintain consultation offices and devise measures to prevent a recurrence of incidents. Violations of the laws may lead to administrative guidance by the relevant Labor Bureau.
In contrast, there are no laws obliging companies to take measures against power harassment. The lack of requirements has been noted as a reason for the delayed development of preventive measures.
Discussions at training sessions
Companies are struggling to come up with solutions to the problem. Sony Bank Inc. based in Tokyo has conducted anonymous questionnaires of all employees since 2011 to understand the nature of power harassment and other matters at the company.
Through the questionnaires, Sony Bank uncovered instances of both "colleague to colleague" and "boss to subordinate" power harassment.
The results of the questionnaires are summarized and presented at in-house training sessions and other occasions. Since last year, the bank has also conducted more detailed inquiries into harassment cases and has held consultations for troubled employees.
"Power harassment could lead to a worsening work environment and an increase in people resigning," said a Sony Bank official responsible for such matter. "It's a management risk and something we need to flexibly address."
At Tokyo Gas Co. based in Tokyo, discussions are held at training sessions organized by position within the company. Younger workers and those in managerial positions, for example, discuss with colleagues incidents they consider to be power harassment.
"Attitudes toward the issue differ by generation. We noticed many things among employees at all levels," said a Tokyo Gas official responsible for such matters.
At the same time, the official said there are those who believe that employees in higher positions fear their instructions may be perceived as power harassment.
"It's difficult to define which cases constitute power harassment," the official said.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
