Latest news and stories about workplace harassment in legal in Portugal for expats and residents.
The human resources director of the Lisbon Western Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde Lisboa Ocidental or ULSLO), André Coelho Dias, is accused of physically restraining an employee by taping her to a chair to force her to complete a task. The incident follows reports of internal unrest and staff departures at the hospital center, which is currently facing significant operational challenges.
IST President Rogério Colaço has archived a disciplinary case against a full professor accused of workplace harassment by eight faculty members, despite an internal inspection recommending a formal reprimand.
Right of reply from Paulo Martins, a professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon, regarding a news article published on 6 September in the print and online editions of PÚBLICO.
Right of reply from Rogério Colaço, president of the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon, regarding a news report published on 6 September in the print and online editions of PÚBLICO.
The 2024 social report identifies 11 professionals recruited from other public or private entities, but the parliamentary staff union points to 61 cases.
An anonymous complaint regarding alleged workplace harassment by the deputy to the Secretary-General of the Assembly of the Republic (AR), as well as irregular appointments within parliamentary services, has been archived without the Secretary-General, Anabela Cabral Ferreira, or her deputy, Hugo Tavares, being questioned, reports Público this Thursday. Over the course of 17 pages, two years are described...
Reports of alleged moral harassment submitted to the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) rose from 2,886 in 2024 to 3,422 in 2025, Inspector-General Maria Fernanda Campos stated in parliament today. During the same period, reports of sexual harassment increased from 48 to 59, the official indicated during a hearing at the Committee on...
The ACT clarified in Parliament that the January data only accounted for administrative offences. Women are the primary victims and the ones who report the most. Men have 'more reservations'.
The ACT initiated inspection proceedings due to “strong evidence of harassment” in 746 cases in 2024 and 822 cases in 2025.
The Portuguese central bank has been sentenced to pay compensation to a former staff member following a ruling on moral harassment.
The article discusses the prevalence of workplace bullying in Portugal, highlighting a recent incident at the Lisbon Western Local Health Unit (ULSLO) where a manager allegedly attempted to restrain a subordinate with tape. It explores the definitions, types (vertical, horizontal, structural, emotional, and strategic), and legal challenges of proving moral harassment in the workplace, while offering advice on how victims can document incidents and seek support through official channels.
Moral harassment in the workplace is a recurring theme in public debate and labour litigation. In court, the decisive issue is often another: what is effectively proven when facts are built through micro-acts, meetings without minutes, ambiguous messages, subtle exclusions, and 'technically justified' evaluations? Despite jurisprudential evolution, a problem remains...
By appealing twice against two first-instance decisions to the same effect, does the University of Porto not become complicit in the harassment? Opinion by Pedro Oliveira
Four out of every ten workers say they are victims of workplace harassment.
More than 77 percent believe they do not have a fair salary. The study is from the Portuguese Laboratory for Healthy Work Environments.
Nearly 40% of professionals surveyed in the latest report by the Portuguese Laboratory for Healthy Work Environments (Labpabs) reported being victims of workplace harassment, a 'warning sign' that experts say should not be ignored. The study, which surveyed 5,549 professionals across various sectors, highlights a rising trend in harassment, alongside significant concerns regarding mental health, burnout, and a lack of fair compensation. Experts emphasize that these issues reflect structural organizational failures rather than individual problems, calling for leadership reform and better work-life balance, while noting that hybrid work models currently offer better outcomes than fully in-office arrangements.
A report indicates that a significant portion of the Portuguese workforce reports experiencing harassment, raising questions about the underlying causes and implications.
Almost 40% of professionals who participated in the latest report from the Portuguese Laboratory of Healthy Work Environments (Labpabs) said they were victims of workplace harassment, a “warning sign” that experts believe should not be ignored. The document, which Lusa had access to and which resulted from the responses of 5,549 professionals from various sectors...
A report indicates that nearly 40% of the workforce in Portugal experiences harassment in their professional environment.
A report indicates that nearly 40% of employees report experiencing harassment in their professional environment.
Report reveals that companies are “divesting from the issue of mental health”.
The Local Health Unit (ULS) confirmed to Lusa that complaints were received from nurses against the nursing director, without specifying their content.
The majority of workplace harassment reports do not lead to the opening of an inspection process, according to the ACT.
According to the ACT, the number of requests for intervention regarding workplace harassment may be “substantially lower” than what is actually occurring.
The Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) received 3,481 requests for inspection regarding harassment in 2025, resulting in only 20 administrative offences, according to provisional data. The ACT noted that these figures include 3,422 reports of moral harassment and 59 of sexual harassment, though the actual number of cases is likely higher as many reports do not trigger an inspection. The authority emphasizes the need to distinguish harassment from other workplace issues like burnout or management conflicts. Meanwhile, the Commission for Equality in Labour and Employment (CITE) can only intervene in cases involving discrimination based on sex or parental rights, with its president, Carla Tavares, noting that fear of retaliation often prevents victims from pursuing complaints.
A PhD researcher in Psychology highlights that sexual harassment “has a very deep gender mark.”
The CT highlights the need to distinguish harassment from 'other related concepts', such as the 'legitimate exercise of hierarchical and disciplinary power, stress, burnout, and workplace conflict'.
The researcher from the University of Évora draws attention to the “dual way of disqualifying what victims say, due to the nature of society, which is patriarchal, sexist and disqualifies women's complaints in particular”, because “the phenomenon affects women specifically and fundamentally”.
The agency details that the figures for last year identify 3,422 requests for intervention due to workplace bullying and 59 for sexual harassment.
The Impresa Group will have to pay more than 87,000 euros to Alexandra Carita, who worked as a freelancer for ten years. The journalist was subjected to years of jokes from her boss and an excessive workload.
