Illness from workplace harassment

[Anchor]

We have received a report from an employee who developed panic disorder due to workplace harassment from their superior.

This incident occurred at an e-commerce company.

It was the company's attitude and response that is the problem.

This story, which ultimately led to the victim's resignation, was covered by reporter Bae Ji-hyun.

[Report]

A man in his 40s, who was a team manager at an e-commerce company, found his workplace turned into hell when an executive became his boss in 2021.

When he replied "checking" to the executive's work-related messages, he was met with verbal abuse, and if he was slow to respond to work messages sent in the early morning or on holidays, he faced reprimands.

After suffering over 220 instances of work-related contact outside of working hours for four months, he was diagnosed with depression.

[Victim of workplace harassment: "I developed a fear and anxiety of not knowing when it would end, which led to depression and panic disorder. When I went to the hospital, they said, 'You need to take a break immediately'...."]

However, the company's personnel committee only issued a minor disciplinary action of "censure."

He protested the low level of discipline to the company, but it was ignored.

[Then Chief Business Officer: "(The perpetrator) speaks recklessly, (do you think) I don't know that? But why am I keeping 000? Because I need him now. Let's just cover this up this time."]

Subsequently, while the perpetrator retained their executive position, the victim was notified of a transfer to the logistics center in March of last year.

Ultimately, he had no choice but to resign.

[Lee Mi-so/Labor Attorney/Workplace Abuse 119: "(Private companies) have a much greater effort to pursue profits. So if the perpetrator is a 'high performer,' they often engage in protective behavior for the perpetrator...."]

A is currently filing a lawsuit for damages against the company based on a ruling from the Workers' Compensation Insurance Corporation that he developed a work-related illness due to workplace harassment.

The company explained that the level of discipline determined considering the timing of a new business project pursuit, and that the executive's comments were intended to encourage the victim.

They claimed that the causal relationship regarding the illness caused by workplace harassment is different.

This is Bae Ji-hyun from KBS News.