Consultations Workplace – By Jeressa Jeremy
Consultations Workplace Harassment Bill
With March being observed as Social Workers Month and the second round of consultations for the 2026 Workplace Harassment Bill taking place on Wednesday, Director of the Directorate of Gender Affairs Jamie Saunders said the timing could not be more appropriate.
Themed ‘Social workers: Uplift, Defend, Transform’, Saunders said the fact that a month is dedicated to social work “is indicative of the fact that it’s important”.
He added that because social work is based on “serving people and meeting the needs of different groups of people, particularly vulnerable persons”, the new legislation is a natural extension of that professional mission.
“I think that the Workplace Harassment Bill and legislation is certainly linked to that,” Saunders stated. “Ensuring that there are certain considerations and protections in place for vulnerable people — especially women — within the workplace who oftentimes face varying forms of harassment, whether it be from their supervisors, whether it be from colleagues.”
The Director noted that the Bill aims to fix a long-standing gap in how workplace abuse is handled. He pointed out that while the Directorate has had many people reporting harassment over the years, “there was nothing in place systematically, policy-wise, rules, or protocol-wise to advise management or HR on how to navigate this in a way that is fair and decisive.”
By moving the country toward a proactive legal framework, Saunders believes the Bill will improve the professional environment for both employees and the social workers who assist them.
“When we operate from a place of being a bit more proactive, I think it leads to a bit more organisation,” Saunders said. “It gives the workers more confidence in the system, and overall it just bodes well for fostering a work environment more conducive towards workers feeling respected.”
He concluded that given the current professional focus of the month, “it couldn’t be a better time for us to be discussing this bit of legislation as it relates to how we better social work and social development within the country”.
