Mobbing Enters Turkish Legal Lexicon

Tulin Yildirim had a compliant against her superiors at the Chamber of Geological Engineers, claiming that she'd been subjected to verbal harassment.

Ankara 8th Court of Labor decided that the enforced disciplinary action against Ms. Yildirim for impeding her duties while she was on vocation is against "the principle of good will", and quote,

"(...) present evidence discloses that the plaintiff had been subjected to ill-treatment and psychological harassment through humiliation, therefore causing material and incorporeal damages to her."

The court used the term "mobbing" in its reasoned decision. This would constitute a precedent in case law and similar cases would follow, said lawyer Habibe Yilmaz to bianet.

Given the approbation of the ruling at the Supreme Court of Appeals, the term "mobbing" would enter the Turkish legislative lexicon.

Workplace bullying

Workplace bullying is the tendency of individuals or groups to use aggressive or unreasonable behavior to achieve their ends.

Gary and Ruth Namie define workplace bullying as "the repeated mistreatment of one employee targeted by one or more employees with a malicious mix of humiliation, intimidation and sabotage of performance." Workplace bullying is also referred to as mobbing, although mobbing can also mean any bullying by more than one person.

"I've proved that an employee doesn't have to uphold with implied pressure to resign, but this is a violation of law on the side of the employer", said Ms. Yildirim following the court's decision.

On the other hand, The Chamber of Geological Engineers reacted to the court ruling that actions given as evidence by Ms. Yildirim wouldn't constitute "mobbing".

Nevertheless, it's condemned to damages amounting to a thousand YTL (around 600 euros) payable to her.(AO/EÜ)