Boss was the perpetrator

Sports trainer secretly filmed in changing room

Video cameras are small and easy to overlook

(Bild: stock.adobe.com (Symbolbild))

Being secretly filmed in the changing room is probably every woman's nightmare. This became reality for a young sports trainer. She found video footage of herself in her employer's changing room, naked down to her underpants. The Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor has now helped the woman with an out-of-court settlement of more than 7,000 euros in damages and compensation for dismissal.

The Equal Treatment Act (GlBG) was first enacted 45 years ago as the "Equal Pay Act". In order to prohibit gender-specific wage differences in the private sector, it was successively amended and extended to the entire world of work. Gender-based and sexual harassment was already included in the law in the 1990s. Nevertheless, it is still common practice in many companies, as a particularly brazen case of sexual harassment shows, according to the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor.

More than 7000 euros in damages
The young sports trainer took videos of herself in her employer's changing room, naked down to her underpants. The crime could be clearly proven to have been committed by the owner of the sports studio. The trainer then wanted to terminate her employment prematurely and turned to the AK Upper Austria in shock. This helped the woman to receive more than 7,000 euros in damages and compensation for dismissal by means of an out-of-court settlement.

Our legal protection record shows that this is not an isolated case. Last year alone, we were able to obtain 276,000 euros for our members due to violations of the Equal Treatment Act.

 AK-Präsident Andreas Stangl

Bild: Alexander Schwarzl

AK Upper Austria calls for better Equal Treatment Act
The fact that it is predominantly women who are exposed to discrimination is also clearly shown by the balance sheet figures: in the previous year, three out of four of all equal treatment and discrimination cases concerned women. Women were almost exclusively confronted with sexual harassment, accounting for 94 percent of all cases. AK President Andreas Stangl is therefore calling for further improvements to the Equal Treatment Act.

Only 1000 euros in damages provided for
The statutory compensation of 1000 euros is far too low. Such an amount is hardly a deterrent and should therefore be increased. In the event of job loss due to discriminatory reasons, there needs to be a statutory minimum compensation for damages in the amount of six months' pay, as in the Disability Employment Act (BEinstG).

In addition, the AK Upper Austria has long been calling for the Equal Treatment Ombudsperson's Office (GAW) to be strengthened in terms of personnel and funding and for it to be represented in all provincial capitals in order to speed up proceedings.

Concrete AK measures against discrimination
In addition to the adjustments and improvements to the Equal Treatment Act, additional measures are always needed to prevent discrimination in the workplace. "As the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor, we have been making a valuable contribution here for decades. Currently with two new instruments that make equal treatment in the workplace an issue and address key weaknesses. One is the Equal Treatment Check and the other is a new guide against gender-based harassment," says AK President Andreas Stangl.

Equal treatment check
With the equal treatment check, you can quickly check whether you are protected against discrimination in the company and whether the employer is also fulfilling its duty of care. This can be found at https://gleichbehandlungscheck.arbeiterkammer.at/.

New guide
The new guide "No room for sexism - A guide against gender-based harassment" empowers women in particular and shows that Section 7 of the Equal Treatment Act largely prohibits normalized and everyday devaluations based on gender.

Advice is available here
Those affected, but also female colleagues who perceive discrimination in the workplace, can contact the Equal Treatment Counseling Service of the AK Upper Austria by e-mail at [e-mail] or by phone at 050 / 6906-1910.