'Harassment, Overtime, Disciplinary Actions'... The 3 Major Power Abuses Tormenting Office Workers

Workplace Bullying Accounts for 61%

The civic group Workplace Power Abuse 119 identified workplace harassment, overtime work, and disciplinary actions or dismissals as the 'Top 3 Power Abuse Issues Faced by Workers in 2023.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 30th, the civic group Workplace Power Abuse 119 announced that among the email reports received up to the 26th of this year, complaints about workplace harassment were the most frequent.

According to Workplace Power Abuse 119, out of 607 email reports with verified identities, 372 cases (61.3%) involved workplace harassment.

Issues related to working hours and leave, as well as disciplinary actions and dismissals, followed with 168 cases each (27.7%). Next were wage issues (139 cases), labor contracts (88 cases), and gender-based violence (55 cases).

Looking into specific types of workplace harassment, ostracism and discrimination or retaliation accounted for the largest share with 196 cases (52.7%). Physical assault and verbal abuse were reported in 159 cases (42.7%), unfair orders in 125 cases (33.6%), insults and defamation in 110 cases (29.6%), and coercion to perform tasks outside of work duties in 31 cases (8.3%).

Workplace Power Abuse 119 stated, "Workers who fear exposure and retaliation are reluctant to report incidents," and called for the introduction of a 'three-strike out' system that conducts special labor inspections on workplaces reported three or more times for violations such as workplace harassment. They also urged that unfavorable treatment due to reporting should be punished severely with imprisonment.