Latest news and stories about workplace harassment in Portugal for expats and residents.
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.
Rui Pedro Bairrada, co-founder and chairman of Doutor Finanças, is the subject of disciplinary proceedings following reports of alleged moral and sexual harassment, as reported by Observador (paywall). According to the newspaper, the reported behaviour dates back to his time as CEO and led to the issuance of two notices.
Rui Pedro Bairrada was reported for inappropriate behaviour dating back to when he was CEO of Doutor Finanças. The company opened a disciplinary process at the end of 2025. He is barred from entering the company premises.
A study reveals that most professionals in the arts sector have experienced workplace bullying, while nearly half have faced sexual harassment.
About 75% of performing arts workers admitted to having experienced situations of moral harassment, and half reported cases of sexual harassment.
“I already knew that the phenomenon [of workplace harassment in the arts] existed”, but at least “now there is credible, informed information”, explained the Director-General of the Arts regarding the study by the MUDA project.
A study on workplace harassment in the performing arts calls for a best practices manual and the creation of an independent commission to develop structural measures against the problem.
A scientific study on workplace harassment in the Portuguese performing arts sector reveals that bullying and sexual harassment are widespread, often perpetrated by those in leadership or artistic direction roles. The research, conducted under the MUDA project, highlights that victims frequently face humiliation, intimidation, and non-consensual physical contact, with many reporting that precarious employment conditions exacerbate their vulnerability and hinder the reporting of abuse. The report calls for urgent institutional action, including mandatory training, independent reporting channels, and stronger legal protections.
Cases of harassment are closely linked to the exercise of power and precariousness, concludes the MUDA project: 75.8% of respondents say they have experienced moral harassment; 49.8% say they have suffered sexual harassment.
The investigator of the case had proposed a written reprimand for the director targeted by the complaint, but the proposal was never voted on during an executive meeting.
Following an anonymous report that led to the CEO's departure at the beginning of 2025, Galp recorded a record 77 complaints. In 17 cases, the company deemed it necessary to take action.
A staff member of the Braga Sapador Firefighters claims that Nuno Osório installed a camera pointed at her workstation and isolated her with a glass partition next to her desk.
ACT admits that the complaints may, in some cases, “not correspond to reality”, noting that previous studies point to underreporting of workplace harassment cases.
The Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) registered 3,480 complaints of moral (psychological) harassment and sexual harassment at work, yet imposed only 20 sanctions, highlighting a large gap between complaints and enforcement.
The Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) received 3,480 complaints of moral and sexual harassment last year but issued only 20 administrative penalties, according to data from the agency cited on Monday by Público. To the newspaper, the ACT acknowledges that the complaints may, in some cases, “not correspond to reality”, noting that previous studies point to a ...
Previous studies indicate underreporting of workplace harassment cases.
The Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) received 3,480 complaints of workplace harassment last year, but only 20 administrative fines were imposed during the same period. The president of the Bar Association wants the same court-appointed lawyers to be named consistently for a particular mega-trial; they would act as alternates to the defence counsel chosen by the accused. Read the full stories...
Large gap between the number of complaints and the penalties imposed
The fear of reprisals continues to deter many complaints of psychological and sexual harassment in the workplace, warns CITE president Carla Tavares, who says a new study and changes to the law are needed.
There are allegations of government pressure and harassment against the technicians who prepare the reports for the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
Disciplinary proceedings were initiated following complaints filed by seven female employees and had been ongoing for several years.
