Sexual harassment at workplaces to be officially watched

A supervisory administrator at the office for the protection of women's rights against such violations as sexual harassment and sexual discrimination will be put into place under a trial program.

To prevent sexual harassment and stamp out sexual discrimination, the Ministry of Labor decided Jan. 7 to place at about 60 workplaces around the nation a "supervisory system for equal treatment of women." The selections of the workplaces will be made through six local Labor Protection Agencies including those in Seoul, Pusan and Taegu. The watchdogs will be appointed sometime this month.

Supervisors will be selected from among current employees at the workplaces through agreement by management and the labor unions. Their duties will include the advancement of women's rights and equal treatment at workplaces.

Beyond creating such watchdogs, the Ministry of Labor further plans to encourage the supervisors to take the initiative for the comprehensive promotion of a workplace environmental movement. The supervisors also will be encouraged to promote the rights of women through increasing the awareness of the Equal Employment Opportunity Laws by labor unions and management.

For the trial program, the Ministry of Labor will select 60 workplaces, mostly distribution companies, where the majority of employees are women, through the six local Labor Protection Agencies. The program will be expanded next year, and a supervisor will be selected for any workplace with more than 50 employees.