A new law sanctions moral harassment at work with a fine ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 lei.
Recently a new law amending several legal provisions on sanctioning forms of discrimination, as well as ensuring equality between men and women, was published.
According to the new law, any act exercised by a hierarchical superior, a subordinate and/or by a hierarchically comparable employee, who aims to degrade working conditions by violating the rights or the dignity of the employee, constitutes an act of moral harassment at work, manifested by hostile or unwanted conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures.
The moral harassment at work will be sanctioned with a fine from 10,000 to 15,000 lei, and failure by the employer to take the necessary measures to prevent moral harassment, including implementing internal regulations provisions on disciplinary sanctions for such cases, is sanctioned with a fine ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 lei.
The establishment by the employer of some measures by which the employees are determined or urged to commit acts of moral harassment is sanctioned with a fine ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 lei.
At the same time, on July 27th, 2020, a new law which amended the Labor Code entered into force. Starting with that date, any act of direct or indirect discrimination, respectively harassment at work will be sanctionedwith fine from 1,000 to 20,000 lei. The existence of essential and decisive professional requirements will not be considered discrimination if and to the extent that they are legitimate and proportionate.
