Workplace harrassment law in place

A LAW governing sexual and moral harassment, racism and sexism in the workplace takes effect in Panama on February 16.

All employers, public institutions and official education centers or individual will have “the responsibility” to establish an internal policy that prevents, avoids discourages and punishes harassing behavior, sexual or moral harassment, racism and sexism.

The new norm was sanctioned by President Juan Carlos Varela, and published in the Official Gazette on February 15, 2018.

Under the law employers, schools and public institutions must  implement counseling, guidance and publicity programs on the prohibition of the listed behavior

They must establish, through internal labor regulations, collective agreements or orders an adequate and effective internal complaint and resolution procedure.

The law was proposed by independent deputy Ana Matilde Gómez in  February 2015, and approved by the National Assembly in April 2017.

Another important point of the sanctioned law is the establishment of the definition of the terms harassment, racism and sexism.

It also protects people who file complaints about cases of harassment or racism.

False denunciations will be punishable,

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