Uzbekistan to launch complaint portal for workplace harassment and violence

The President of Uzbekistan signed a resolution on September 21 on measures to create a safe and respectful work environment. The program will be phased in across government bodies and organizations, companies with a state share of 50% or more, and will then be expanded to enterprises of other forms of ownership.

The portal is being established within the structures of the Management Efficiency Agency. The service will enable filing online appeals, collecting evidence, and recording the results of inspections without the possibility of deleting data. If a complaint is filed against an employee responsible for the system or against management, it will be automatically forwarded to a higher authority. If signs of an administrative offense or a crime are detected, appeals will be forwarded through the "112" unified dispatch service.

The Management Efficiency Agency is granted the right to issue submissions that are mandatory for consideration regarding established violations. In addition, labor collectives in government bodies have been recommended to establish in their internal regulations that sexual or physical violence and sexual harassment may be considered a one-time gross breach of labor duties, while psychological pressure, discrimination, and retaliation for filing complaints may be treated as a breach of labor discipline.