Scoil Iosagain

Dignity at Work

The Board of Management of Scoil Íosagáin has adopted this policy in July 2025, following consultation with all staff members.

This policy is informed by the Working Together 2024 – Ag Obair Le Chéile document. Key pieces of legislation underpinning Dignity at Work (DAW) matters are:

• The Employment Equality Acts 1998–2021 (EEAs)

• The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (SHWAW Act)

There are also two codes which provide practical and accessible guidance for employers and employees regarding DAW matters:

• The Code of Practice for Employers and Employees on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work (2021) jointly published by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) (the Bullying Code); and

• The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission’s (IHREC) Code of Practice on Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work (the Harassment Code) (2022)

• Labour Relations Commission’s Codes of Practice S.I. No.17/2002 and S.I. 208/2012

PART 1

A. Core Principles of Policy

The Board of Management of Scoil Íosagáin recognises that the creation of a work environment where all employees feel valued, recognised and safe, and can work in an atmosphere of respect, collaboration, openness and equality, is central to the delivery of the highest possible quality of service to the school community. The promotion and dignity of all staff and respect for diversity plays a key role in ensuring this environment. Scoil Íosagáin is committed to creating and maintaining a positive working environment where the dignity and respect of all individuals are upheld. Promoting and maintaining positive professional interpersonal relationships is central to our work and wellbeing. We value each person’s right to work in a climate that is free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment.

Adult bullying and harassment will not be tolerated by this school. All employees have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. It is incumbent on the staff and management of this school to promote a culture of positive working relations, which promotes inclusion and respect for difference. Management is committed to supporting this culture and intervening in an appropriate manner utilising the framework set out in Working Together 2024 -Ag Obair le Chéile-if requested to investigate and deal with allegations of bullying or harassment. The provisions of Department of Education Circulars 61/2017 and 62/2017 with respect to the assault of teachers and SNAs will be applied, as appropriate.

B. Scope:

This policy applies to:

• employees, parents, guardians, contractors, or others the employee may come in contact with in their work roles

• the school, conferences, external meetings, training events, workplace social events.

C. Definition of Bullying

As per the Code (WRC & HAS, 2021, p. 6), workplace bullying is defined as,

“repeated inappropriate behaviour, direct or indirect, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others, at the place of work and/or in the course of employment, which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual's right to dignity at work.”

In line with the above definition, workplace bullying should meet the criteria of an ongoing series of an accumulation of seriously negative targeted behaviours against a person or persons to undermine their esteem and standing in a harmful, sustained way. Bullying behaviour is offensive, ongoing, targeted and outside any reasonable ‘norm’. A pattern and trend must be involved so that a reasonable person would regard such behaviour as clearly wrong, undermining and humiliating. It involves repeated incidents or a pattern of behaviour that is usually intended to intimidate, offend, degrade or humiliate a particular person or group of people – but the intention is not important in the identification process. Bullying activities involve actions and behavioural patterns, directly or indirectly, spoken and/or written and could include the use of cyber or digital means for the goal of bullying. Such bullying events, delivered through cyber means, may also be covered by the requirements of the 2005 Act.

Under the definition, all four elements must exist for behaviour to be considered bullying. It must be

1. repeated;

2. inappropriate;

3. workplace connected, i.e. at the place of work and/or in the course of employment and;

4. “reasonably regarded as undermining the individual’s right to dignity at work”

Behaviour, which makes for a bullying pattern will likely include not just one but a range of the following behaviours:

• Verbal abuse/insults, undermining remarks

• Exclusion or isolation with negative consequences

• Being treated less favourably than colleagues in similar roles

• Intimidation

• Aggression

• Humiliation, ridicule,

• Undermining

• Belittling a person’s opinion / efforts

• Dominance or abuse of power

• Different or less favourable treatment

• Disseminating malicious rumours, gossip or innuendo

• Excessive and unreasonable monitoring

• Repeatedly manipulating a person’s job content and targets

• Blaming a person for things beyond their control

• Withholding work-related information for proper performance of a person’s job

• Intrusion – pestering, spying or stalking

• Use of aggressive and obscene language

• Other menacing behaviour

D. What is Not Bullying at Work?

As per the Code (WRC & HAS, 2021, p. 6), it states that,

“An isolated incident of the behaviour described in this definition may be an affront to dignity at work, but, as a once-off incident, is not considered to be bullying”

It is important to distinguish bullying from other inappropriate behaviours or indeed appropriate workplace engagement. As set out in the definition above, a once-off incident of bullying behaviour may be an affront to dignity at work and may be unsettling, but does not of itself make for an adequate level of distress as to fall within the definition of bullying, and other remedies should be sought for these scenarios. As a once-off, such behaviours cannot be presumed to be done in a targeted, purposeful and unremitting way.

Apart from once-off behaviours, other on-going behaviours which may upset or unsettle a person may not come within the bullying definition either. Behaviour considered bullying by one person may be considered routine interaction by another, so the ‘reasonableness’ of behaviours over time must be considered. Disrespectful behaviour, while not ideal, is not of itself bullying. Conflicts and disagreements do not, of themselves, make for a bullying pattern either. There are various workplace behavioural issues and relationship breakdowns which are troubling, upsetting and unsettling but are not of an adequate level of destructiveness to meet the criteria required for a bullying case.

Objective criticism and corrections that are intended to provide constructive feedback to an employee are not usually considered bullying, but rather are intended to assist the employee with their work.

Bullying does not include:

• expressing differences of opinion strongly,

• offering constructive feedback, guidance, or advice about work-related behaviour which is not of itself welcome,

• ordinary performance management,

• reasonable corrective action taken by an employer relating to the management and direction of employees (for example managing a worker’s performance, taking reasonable disciplinary actions, or assigning work), or workplace conflict where people disagree with or disregard the others’ point of view.”

This list is not exhaustive.

E. Bullying V Harassment

Harassment is covered by Employment Equality legislation and is based on a person's standing within one of the nine categories (or grounds) specified in that legislation (gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation etc.) Harassment is defined in law as "unwanted conduct related to one or more of the discriminatory grounds which "has the purpose or effect of violating person's dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person."

Harassment is any form of unwanted conduct related to any of the following grounds:

i. Gender

ii. Civil status

iii. Family status

iv. Sexual orientation

v. Religious belief

vi. Age

vii. Disability

viii. Race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin

ix. Membership of the Traveller community

In contrast to the definition of workplace bullying, the behaviour does not need to be repetitive to be considered harassment. The definition also includes both subjective and objective elements. It does not matter whether the intent behind the behaviour was to violate a person’s dignity and create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person. There also needs to be consideration of how the person perceives the behaviour.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity and/or creating an intimidating, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person (Working Together, 2024, pg. 15).

The Code of Practice on Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work, 2022, states that the intention of the person carrying out the behaviour is irrelevant, and that what matters is the effect on the person the subject of the sexual harassment. The conduct at issue may not be specifically directed at a particular employee but nevertheless has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity and creating an intimidating, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person.

Sexual Harassment may include:

● Physical conduct of a sexual nature

● Verbal conduct of a sexual nature

● Non-verbal contact of a sexual nature which may include the sharing (or threatening to share) sexually offensive images and/or the engagement of social media in a manner that is sexually offensive.

It is recognised that bullying and harassment complaints may arise among work colleagues but may also arise in relation to visitors to the school, including parents. In either case, the commitment to a positive workplace, where dignity at work is respected, prevails.

F. Allocation of Responsibilities

Management has a duty of care towards employees. Similarly, employees have a duty of care towards one another. Every individual in the workplace has a role in promoting a positive workplace free from bullying behaviour. Employers and Employees have specific duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 directly or indirectly related to preventing, managing and controlling the risks arising from bullying, harassment and sexual harassment.

These include but are not limited to:

Employer Responsibilities:

• Manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any improper conduct or behaviour likely to put the safety, health or welfare at work of their employees at risk (Section 8 (2) (b));

• Provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health, and welfare at work of their employees (Section 8 (g));

• Identify the hazards in the place of work under their control, assess the risks presented by those hazards and be in possession of a written assessment (known as a “risk assessment”) of the risks to the safety, health and welfare at work of their employees, including the safety, health and welfare of any single employee or group or groups of employees who may be exposed to any unusual or other risks under the relevant statutory provisions (Section 19(1));

• Prepare, or ask to be prepared, a written statement (to be known and referred to in this Act as a “safety statement”), based on the identification of the hazards and the risk assessment carried out under section 19, specifying the manner in which the safety, health and welfare at work of their employees shall be secured and managed (Section 20(1)).

Employee Responsibilities

Each employee should

• create a co-operative relational climate within the workplace by their own behaviour. How they behave, and how that behaviour is responded to, feeds into a broader sense of what is acceptable. Employees both individually and within teams and groups, have a role in promoting positive behaviour to others, relating in clear, civil and respectful ways to everybody in the workplace. Employees have duties under the 2005 Act to conduct themselves properly in relation to others at work.

Under section 13 – employees’ duties include to:

• comply with the relevant statutory provisions, as appropriate, and take reasonable care to protect his or her safety, health and welfare and the safety, health and welfare of any other person who may be affected by the employee’s acts or omissions at work;

• co-operate with his or her employer, or any other person so far as is necessary, to enable his or her employer or the other person to comply with the relevant statutory provisions, as appropriate, and;

• not engage in improper conduct or other behaviour that is likely to endanger a person’s own safety, health and welfare at work or that of any other person at work or during the course of their employment

G. Positive Work Environment

It is agreed that we will all work to make this school a good place to work. A good place to work has a positive work environment characterised by:

✓ A supportive atmosphere

✓ A co-operative relational climate within the workplace

✓ Good and open communication (e.g. through opportunities at regular staff meetings)

✓ Appropriate interpersonal behaviour

✓ Promoting positive behaviour to others

✓ Collaboration

✓ Open discussion and resolution of conflict

✓ Relating in clear, civil and respectful ways to everybody in the workplace

✓ Recognition, feedback and affirmation as appropriate

✓ Fair treatment of all staff (in line with agreed procedures)

✓ Taking reasonable care to protect safety, health and welfare of others

✓ Not engaging in improper conduct

There are several elements important to a positive workplace including good leadership (leading by example), a culture of involvement and a proper flow of communication, intolerance of inappropriate behaviour, training of staff on acceptable behaviour or conduct, an open and transparent pattern of relating based on mutual respect and dignity for all. A positive culture is one in which employees are comfortable raising issues of concern to them, especially of inappropriate behaviours and where there are supportive, effective and fair processes underpinning this in place.

Every person has a responsibility to play their part in contributing to a positive work environment. In this regard, a person who is a witness or bystander has a clear responsibility to raise concerns about dignity at work and threats to this, in an appropriate and timely manner.

The Safety Statement - as mandated under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 – will also include a commitment to a positive work environment, in light of the employer’s obligations as outlined at Section 8 of that Act, including the duty to manage work activities in such a way as to prevent “improper conduct or behaviour” likely to put health and safety at risk.

H. Preventative Measures

In achieving its aims, the Policy has a strong preventative focus, which emphasises the duties of all employees and leadership to create and maintain a working environment in which everyone is treated with dignity, courtesy and respect and diversity is valued. Where complaints of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment occur, the Policy aims to ensure that all parties will be treated with fairness, sensitivity, respect and confidentiality, and with due regard to the rights of all parties, using both informal and formal procedures.

The Policy provides a framework in which complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment will be taken seriously and will be followed through to resolution, and in which employees who make a complaint or those who support such employees, will not be victimised.

The Policy recognises the importance of early intervention in managing complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment. A key objective is to ensure that all reasonable efforts are made to deal with complaints at local level, informally where appropriate. The Policy promotes mediation as an essential tool in resolving complaints. Mediation is a voluntary process that can be entered into at any stage of the complaints management process and will be actively encouraged from the earliest stage possible where appropriate. Please refer to Working Together Document (2024, p6).

Preventative measures/actions include:

• Promotion and reinforcement of a positive workplace culture.

• Effective Anti-Bullying policies* developed, used and promoted regarding improper and proper behaviours.

• Widespread policy awareness.

• Appropriate training as required for those managing complaints and for line management.

• Contact Person/appropriate advisory support services, where possible.

It is agreed that the adoption of this policy in our school will be accompanied by a number of steps to examine our work environment and, as necessary, to agree changes which reflect a commitment to dignity at work. These steps will be initiated by Management, and be repeated by way of review at appropriate intervals.

The actions to be undertaken may generally be described as Identification, Assessment, Implementing Strategies and Monitoring.

I. What Happens if there is an Allegation of Bullying or Harassment?

Without prejudice to an individual’s right to take such advice or steps as they may decide, the Board of Management will take seriously any allegation of workplace bullying or harassment.

Supportive and effective procedures, in accordance with nationally-agreed practice, [Working Together (2024) (Appendix 1), are in place in this school. These procedures to address and investigate allegations will focus on the earliest possible resolution, will proceed as necessary from informal to formal stages and will have a stress on confidentiality.

The Employee Assistance Service provide a free and confidential counselling service, which is available for teachers, SNAs and other staff. The Freephone number is 1800 411 057 and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

J. Summary

Management has a duty of care towards employees. Similarly, employees have a duty of care towards one another and to contribute to a positive workplace culture. This policy seeks to set out principles, practices and procedures to support the exercise of that duty in our school.

Implementation and Review

a) Roles and Responsibilities:

All members of the school community have responsibility for ensuring that the guidelines as outlined in this policy are appropriately followed.

b) Timeframe:

This whole-school policy will be implemented from 2025/2026.

c) Review:

The policy will be reviewed as and when necessary.

Ratification and Communication

This policy will also be drawn to the attention of all staff members at the first staff meeting of each academic year. This policy will be published on the school website and a copy will be shared with all staff.

Together we are committed to building and maintaining a work environment where respectful, open and equal relationships are the norm. In summary, we are committed to having a good and safe place to work, where every individual’s dignity is respected.