Circular on Prevention of Psychological Harassment (Mobbing) in Workplaces Published

Presidential Circular No. 2025/3 on Prevention of Psychological Harassment (Mobbing) in Workplaces (“Circular”) was published in the Official Gazette dated 6 March 2025 and numbered 32833. Pursuant to the Circular, the Board for Combating Psychological Harassment will be restructured, employers and managers will observe all kinds of risks and develop preventive and protective policies.

• The new Circular aims to prevent psychological harassment, which is manifested by intentional and systematic humiliation, belittling, exclusion, ill-treatment and intimidation in the workplace, in order to increase employee motivation and social welfare and to provide an inclusive, sustainable and productive working environment.
• With this Circular, the Board for Combating Psychological Harassment, which was envisaged to be established within the scope of the Prime Ministry Circular No. 2011/2 published in the Official Gazette dated 19.03.2011 and numbered 27879, has been re-established. The Board is envisaged to be composed of representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey, the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ethics Committee of Public Officials, the relevant units of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, representatives of the confederations of workers, employers and public officials, and academicians who are experts in the field of psychological harassment.
• It is stated that the Board will play an active role in the formulation of nationwide policies, training and research activities and public awareness-raising activities.
• Prior to the Circular, employees could apply to ALO 170 or the Ministry of Labour and Social Security about psychological harassment they were subjected to at their workplaces; however, the new regulation paves the way to apply to more than one institution other than the Ministry, such as CIMER, the Parliamentary Petitions Commission, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey, and the Ombudsman’s Office.
• It is stated that the primary responsibility in the process of combating psychological harassment in the workplace belongs to employers and managers and that all kinds of risks that may arise due to mobbing and mobbing in the workplace should be observed, preventive measures should be taken and protective policies should be established.
• It was emphasised that in the process of investigating and investigating mobbing allegations, the issues of ensuring confidentiality, protecting personal privacy and preventing damage to the reputation of the institution should be meticulously observed.
• Attention was drawn to the inclusion of provisions preventing and protecting psychological harassment in collective labour agreements and collective agreements.

You can access the Circular via this link. (Only available in Turkish)