Bullying At Work: Mobbing

Mobbing" has become one of the hot topics in employment related disputes in the recent years. The number of compensation claims filed by employees who have been subject to their employers' or superiors' intimidating actions, has conspicuously increased. This is so particularly after publication of the Prime Ministry's Circular on Prevention of Psychological Harassment (Mobbing) in Workplaces¹ (the "Circular") in 2011. The Circular defines mobbing as "a systematic emotional assault and continuing disrespectful and harmful act carried out in a workplace, against a specific employee or a group of employees, such as innuendo, rumor, public discrediting, casting out and intimidation".

Although it is directly related to employment relationships, "mobbing" is not specifically defined or governed under the Labor Law², which is the primary legislation that governs contractual relationships between employers and employees. Where the Labor Law remains silent, the provisions of