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A WorkSafe investigator has been appointed to probe allegations of bullying at Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children.
The regulator, which has come under fire for its failure to prosecute a single workplace bullying case, now also plans to make changes to its reporting system.
Stuff revealed in December that senior ministry social worker, Susan Kennedy, attempted suicide and suffered two sensory strokes after numerous incidents of alleged workplace bullying and sexual harassment.
Subsequently more staff from Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children came forward and reported alleged bullying.
Due to "privacy issues" a WorkSafe NZ spokeswoman could not provide detail, aside from the notification and that it was responding to the complaint. WorkSafe was making initial inquiries to determine
if any further action needed to be taken by the regulator, she said.
"Bullying and harassment is a known and common workplace risk. Businesses must recognise bullying and harassment as a risk and have clear processes in place to handle it."
WorkSafe typically only investigated bullying and harassment claims where there was a diagnosis of serious mental harm and there was a link to workplace bullying as the cause, she said.
CultureSafe NZ director Allan Halse, who is acting on behalf of Kennedy, confirmed WorkSafe was investigating and that he and Kennedy had met with the Auckland inspector investigating the case.
Kennedy's case fitted the Worksafe criteria because it was backed up by medical evidence, he said.
Clinical psychologist, Dr Prudence Fisher from the Auckland Women's Therapy Centre, completed an official report into the impact of the "extensive workplace bullying" on Kennedy's mental and physical wellbeing and said it was one of the most concerning cases to occur within a government department.
Fisher said the 52 year-old had been a very capable and resilient woman but had experienced bullying to such an extent that she raised concern about the lack of care, the degree of targeting and the form of verbal abuse and humiliation experienced in Kennedy's workplace.
Kennedy, who worked as a social worker for more than 23 years, took drastic measures after reporting workplace bullying and sexual harassment on numerous occasions, saying nothing was done.
Halse said Kennedy wanted to speak out to make a change and help others and that her case could be used to set a precedent in New Zealand.
Last year the workplace safety watchdog came under fire for refusing to investigate sexual assault in workplaces and failing to take a prosecution on a single bullying case.
Its figures show that of the 125 cases of bullying brought to it in the last four years, it investigated 11 of them, with no prosecutions. About half were referred to more appropriate agencies.
On Thursday a WorkSafe spokeswoman said it was now responding to the importance of the bullying issue by enhancing how it recorded notifications.
This would ensure it captured all notifications that mentioned or involved bullying, she said.
Halse, who has been advocating for a better system for reporting extreme workplace bullying cases said any improvement was a good start.
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children Grainne Moss said she understood that Kennedy had made a complaint to WorkSafe.
"I think it's really important that Susan is able and free to explore any avenues that are open to her. Our focus is on her wellbeing and we care very deeply about our staff …"
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/53723
Join Geezgo for free. Use Geezgo's end-to-end encrypted Chat with your Closenets (friends, relatives, colleague etc) in personalized ways.>>
The regulator, which has come under fire for its failure to prosecute a single workplace bullying case, now also plans to make changes to its reporting system.
Stuff revealed in December that senior ministry social worker, Susan Kennedy, attempted suicide and suffered two sensory strokes after numerous incidents of alleged workplace bullying and sexual harassment.
Subsequently more staff from Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children came forward and reported alleged bullying.
Due to "privacy issues" a WorkSafe NZ spokeswoman could not provide detail, aside from the notification and that it was responding to the complaint. WorkSafe was making initial inquiries to determine
if any further action needed to be taken by the regulator, she said.
"Bullying and harassment is a known and common workplace risk. Businesses must recognise bullying and harassment as a risk and have clear processes in place to handle it."
WorkSafe typically only investigated bullying and harassment claims where there was a diagnosis of serious mental harm and there was a link to workplace bullying as the cause, she said.
CultureSafe NZ director Allan Halse, who is acting on behalf of Kennedy, confirmed WorkSafe was investigating and that he and Kennedy had met with the Auckland inspector investigating the case.
Kennedy's case fitted the Worksafe criteria because it was backed up by medical evidence, he said.
Clinical psychologist, Dr Prudence Fisher from the Auckland Women's Therapy Centre, completed an official report into the impact of the "extensive workplace bullying" on Kennedy's mental and physical wellbeing and said it was one of the most concerning cases to occur within a government department.
Fisher said the 52 year-old had been a very capable and resilient woman but had experienced bullying to such an extent that she raised concern about the lack of care, the degree of targeting and the form of verbal abuse and humiliation experienced in Kennedy's workplace.
Kennedy, who worked as a social worker for more than 23 years, took drastic measures after reporting workplace bullying and sexual harassment on numerous occasions, saying nothing was done.
Halse said Kennedy wanted to speak out to make a change and help others and that her case could be used to set a precedent in New Zealand.
Last year the workplace safety watchdog came under fire for refusing to investigate sexual assault in workplaces and failing to take a prosecution on a single bullying case.
Its figures show that of the 125 cases of bullying brought to it in the last four years, it investigated 11 of them, with no prosecutions. About half were referred to more appropriate agencies.
On Thursday a WorkSafe spokeswoman said it was now responding to the importance of the bullying issue by enhancing how it recorded notifications.
This would ensure it captured all notifications that mentioned or involved bullying, she said.
Halse, who has been advocating for a better system for reporting extreme workplace bullying cases said any improvement was a good start.
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children Grainne Moss said she understood that Kennedy had made a complaint to WorkSafe.
"I think it's really important that Susan is able and free to explore any avenues that are open to her. Our focus is on her wellbeing and we care very deeply about our staff …"
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/53723
Join Geezgo for free. Use Geezgo's end-to-end encrypted Chat with your Closenets (friends, relatives, colleague etc) in personalized ways.>>
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