Being bullied has a severe effect on your mental health. If you think your being bullied the most important thing to do is to go to your doctor and talk to them about the effect it's having on you. You should ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist and tell the doctor that you wish to claim medical expenses on work cover.

You should then write to your HR department to tell them you are seeing a doctor because you are being bullied and that your doctor has informed workcover

Do not let anyone talk you out of making a workcover claim. You are entitled to claim the real cost of your medical expenses and no-one at your organisation will do anything real to address the bullying issue unless a workcover claim has been made.

I've seen bullying in the work place. Best thing to do is make it a zero tolerance issue for you..don't allow it to happen to you or when you're around. When you work for large corporates, you can talk to HR at the first opportunity about it.

Problems occur when its a small company with no formal HR or policies. I worked as an IT manager for a small Steel importer and it was the managing director who was the bully. I told my manager, but he shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it (the spineless weed). Not much fun there. The only option was to leave.

However, this is another instance of why you shouldn't make your career the sole focus of your life. Its a lot harder to deal with bullying when you feel like you can't leave the workplace.

I've been a bully and didn't realise ('til recently)!

However, my bullying wasn't about yelling, threats or playing pranks like setting apprentices on fire in toilet cubicles ...

Whoosh!

It was about fashion.

Apparently, picking on IBM employess about what they wear is bullying!

Sure, the first ten times it was funny how I kept telling them how they all looked the same in those identical suits and ties (and haircut!) and how they must have a million of those suits in their wardrobe, wearing them to bed, etc.

But it can only go so far.

I found out when the company I worked at had one of those on-line training courses on harassment, money laundering, etc.

The things you learn...

This comment was removed as it contained offensive content.

Ha! That sounds remarkably like the conversations I have with my colleagues when we go out for out 3PM coffee.

"I can't believe effin' Brian farked up the repository again! That can't won't last long!!!"

I guess I do have a lot to learn - as I can't say it to that b'tard's face ...

glad to see you have a sense of humour

nice one

Brownie not to learns Leopard propers if in same team. Not ables match Leopards code and hi techs mastery. Laz and Maccas not neithers. Always behinds. Leopard leeds while other follows.

After having worked at multiple (mainframe) sites in New Zealand, Australia, UK, and Holland, my experience is:

New Zealand - bullying is rife. Or at least it was back in the 90s when I was there. Worked at two large sites. Small town syndrome me thinks, because the bully knows that if you are sacked, its real hard to get another job in small-town NZ.

Australia - much rarer, but sadly it still exists. Have worked at 5 sites. I only came across one bully here (Sydney 2004-5), and he caused numerous staff to leave the company, or transfer teams. Upper management found it too difficult a task to deal with. After gaining a wide reputation for this, he left the company this year, and is not missed.

UK - Worked at two sites, and had minor hiccup at first site (boss telling me he would sack me at my initial job interview!), and more severe problems at the second site (my boss was an upper-class englishman who spoke like he had marbles in his mouth... Don't ask...).

Holland - Worked at two sites, and never found a single bully. They won't suffer fools, but they are very similar to aussies in their relaxed approach to life.

it's out of control bullies pushed surgeon to edge

Bullying in Australia's workplaces and schools is in epidemic proportions.

I have worked in the IT industry for many years and have worked in countries such as UK, NZ, South Africa, Asia, and Australian states such as Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland, Canberra and I can honestly say that the worse place I have seen for bullying is Queensland and especially Northern Queensland such as Cairns & Townsville.

I have worked in both private and government areas and I find that the government areas such as health care or our own universities are the worst of them all.

The bullying is mostly done by the women or higher level staff and all of these places have anti-bullying policies in place but if you make a complaint you will find that you are the one on the outside. You will be ignored, verbally assaulted for making a complaint and finally left to green pastures (an old management trick to wear you down in the hope that YOU will leave)

I have been bullied at work recently at a major university up north and it is the first time in my 25 year working history that this has occurred.

My manager has sided with the bully as not to make waves and this is very typical of the people or should I say true locals up here.

My wife works as a counciler at a major northern Queensland TAFE and she deals with kids between the ages of 13-17 who have been kicked out of their current school.

Now, out of these 12 special kids she is teaching at the moment ALL OF THEM have been asked to leave the local school because they were being bullied, they were the actual victim (not the bully) but were asked to leave because it is much simpler to get rid of the ONE person who makes the complaint rather than deal with the bully and his/her parents as well. (The parents are usually feral rednecks who are BIG mouths).

I could not believe this when I heard it from my wife until I myself became a target by a feral redneck bigot women up here.

I have a theory as to why this is happening and it has to do with parenting. You will find that the parents are the ones who bully their kids and the kids only just repeat what they see at home.

These parents also bully in their own workplace environment and get away with it.

I think Australia and it's uneducated culture has a very, very long way to go before it even attempts to rectify this epidemic in the workplace and schools.

I also wonder whether it is a society thing? You read everyday now about people getting bashed, killed, raped and the perpetrator is let off with a slap on the hand and told 'please don't do it again' attitude.

I don't know the answer but what I do know is that we need more people like this:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/old-boy-seeks-2m-for-years-of-torment/2008/11/10/1226165481820.html

Once these organizations are sued for millions by people who have been bullied then I can guarantee they will pull their fingers out of their arses and address the problems straight away rather than just do nothing and hope that the person who made the complaint goes away.

Watch the flood gates open up in the next few years because of this Australian bullying epidemic.

My only advice to people who are being bullied is to 'don't take shit' stand up for YOUR rights, don't sit back and take it because it will ruin your personal & professional life.

Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire and make it known that you will not take any bullying shit in the workplace.

Remember the bully might be a protected koloa bear in the workplace but outside the work environemt it's 'Open Season' They might be outside a pub, shops, cinema, etc. When from out of nowhere a smack in their head (away from cameras of course)with a fist or a bat might knock some sense into them.

I know the above is also not the right thing to do and you are lowering yourself to their standard but when the law, and workplace policies fail then what else can you do?

Nice guy's finish last!!

I am a public servant for over 5 years, and I had this female manager/supervisor constantly picking on me. If I have done anything tiny bit wrong, she will keep a paper records and wait until the end of year, then have them in writing in my annual job performances, year after year, never let you live it down. I finally had enough last year (that was my fifth job performance report) and typed up a really long reponse to her critisms and ensured that our head of the office and Director each had a copy. They saw it, signed it, but both gave it a silent reponse, no doubt they've already sided with her, and no apology nor response ever given to me about my protest. Few months later, I think after some underground preparation work, they transferred me to a different section (in the same office) under a new section manager where I have to learn a brand new role all over, and since I was new to the role, they put me on a 12 months probation, just like they would with any new employee. I am so disappointed with the result, but I don't want to leave my job. I don't want to back down because of her bullying, but what do I do when the bosses are trying to sweep it under the carpet and I think what they did by moving me was so cunning to get me to stop complaining.

Obviously, there were more victims from this same manager, but I think they all got the same silent treatments when they complained, so they've all left for alternatiove jobs.

At school a punch in the nose usually sorted the bully out. methinks it is starting to be the case in the workplace.

I like to respond in particular to one sentence. > My only advice to people who are being bullied is to 'don't take shit' stand up for YOUR rights, don't sit back and take it because it will ruin your personal & professional life<

It is sad but some what comforting to read others are in a similar Boat as myself. It is true not to put up with any sort of Harrassement or Bullying behaviour at your work place. You just don't get paid for it nor does one want it! I have been bullied at work over some many months. Basicaly because the person could not groom me and to be submissive like the rest of them. When some one bites me; I bite back.

There for i became a threat to this person who went about bullying me. Complaints where made on more than one ocassion and even a meeeting. It became very obvious by the behaviour of management that it was being side stepped and to try and trivualize me and my complaint as being imaginary. Others within my Gropu also made similar complaints. Management was well aware of the problem and chose to just ignore it. Eventually i had enough. Went to my Doc. He understood and on medical reasons directed my Employer to provide alternative work elsewhere within the organisation. In the mean time i was off from work. Works Safe S.A got involved. people from much higher up got involved. My Union much to be desired but being another story... I figured. great! It is being investigated right to the top levels and work safe S.A are also on the Band Wagon. Surely something good must now come out of it? One interview and investigation after another 4 of them so fahr including THEIR so called independent Pshyciatrist. He of course already decided that it was all in my mind and that i didn't suffer any stress or anxiety problems. Great! After all" he gets paid byu the Governement and he must perform for them and not me. I Changed Unions in the hope they will lift a Finger for me. How fahr? Who knows. So" Don't think Unions will be there right behind you ALL the way. The outcome is predicatable. My claim will be denied because it would leave a flood gate open for others who would want to make claims too. That translates in to MONEY!!! The Government has to pay for Spychological injuries.

My Emplyer would be in the similar Boat. They of course would wait to see my claim being rejected hence giving my Employer the amunition to refute any negligence on their part. Basicaly it leaves them of the hook.

In the mean time the Perpetrator is being treated like a PROTECTIVE Species whiles i am hanging out to dry and with further stress levels. All this makes it very difficult fora person who has been bullied to get real justice and to have a safe and healthy working environment. Instead" Employers boast about how nice their Policies look and what they have in place. How the Governement is to be appreaing as if to be all against anty Bullying behaviour. yet! It is all nothing but HOT AIR and I as well as others are being let down by some buls..t system. I can now only hope that my Employer after having loyaly served and having gone bejound the call of my duties, that they would provide me with an alternative duty just to get away from this Pr..k.

Yes! Stand up for yourself. But it is not an easy road and your chances are not very good. You will not win Workcover claims unless you get your own Lawyer to take them to Court. Unions wont do that. It costs money to them. In the mean time i need to wait and if squeezed may have to get a Lawyer and of course only if there is money in i for them. he needs to make a living too.

In the end of it. My health is more important. My concern is my age. Not many Jobs about for a 55 year old and in particular when the question on the application Form needs to be answered.... Did you ever make a Compensation Claim? What was the Claim for? Good bye Charly!! I won't even get a second look. It all sucks I know. I am just another one going through the grinder.