A draft law on workplace harassment is planned for submission to the Parliament of Kazakhstan this fall, El.kz reports.
It was announced by Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Askarbek Yertayev during a government briefing. According to the Minister, the amendments are currently being discussed with the National “Atameken” Chamber of Entrepreneurs and the "Paryz" National Confederation of Employers.
Proposed changes
The Ministry of Labor aims to legally codify the definition of sexual harassment in the workplace. These amendments were included in a consultative document published on the Internet portal “Open NPA”.
Askarbek Yertayev noted that the initiative is linked to recommendations from international organizations. The draft prepared by the Ministry provides a conceptual framework and establishes employer liability should such incidents be identified.
Penalties not yet decided
In May, First Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Populatio Yerbol Tuyakbayev reported that the document was undergoing the coordination process with government agencies. At that time, he clarified that the specific type of punishment for offenders had not yet been finalized.
The bill is expected to be introduced for parliamentary consideration this autumn.
