Madam, - I wish to express my appreciation to The Irish Times for highlighting the issue of bullying in the workplace in recent articles and on the Letters page.
Current legislation places the onus on the employer to decide how to investigate an allegation of bullying, intimidation or harassment. This is equivalent to requesting an organisation to audit its own annual financial statements.
The obligation on a victim of bullying to make a complaint to his/her employer, if carried out, will generally intensify the bullying, add to his/her symptoms of stress and may result in his/her dismissal, constructive or actual.
The practice whereby an occupational health physician may, at an employer's request, provide a report opining that an employee who claims to be a victim of bullying is "medically fit for work", suggest counselling or therapy as a remedy and not advise the employer to remove the cause of stress within the organisation - i.e,. the bullying - must be addressed urgently by the Irish Medical Council.
Such a report may be used in court by the employer as a defence against allegations of bullying by an employee.
I suggest that legislators and policymakers read at least one of the many books available on workplace bullying and speak to victims in order to gain an insight into the devastating impact of bullying on a victim's personal life, confidence, self-esteem and career and to recognise the lack of controls within work environments that foster bullying. - Yours, etc.,
RUTH WALSH, Cabinteely, Co Dublin.