Taxpayers spend millions on 841 public servant harassment claims

A staggering amount has been paid to public servants for workplace harassment. See how much and which government departments are the worst for bullying in SA.

Nearly $40 million has been paid out in more than 840 workplace harassment claims over the past five years, new data has found.

The figures, released to SA-BEST by the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri, revealed that 841 public servants were paid out for work-related harassment claims between 2015 and 2020.

The claims cost taxpayers a total of $37,623,485, with a staggering 243 claims coming from the Department of Education.

Claims paid out by the department totalled at nearly $13 million.

Ten Education Department employees received payouts totalling $374,781 for sexual harassment claims – at an average of $37,478.10 each.

More than $12.5 million was paid out to a further 243 Education Department employees for work-related harassment – at an average of $51,749.95.

Across the whole of government, 24 public servants received compensation for sexual harassment totalling $701, 079 – or $29,211.65 on average.

Across the whole of government, 817 public servants received payouts for other work-related harassment totalling $37,623,485 – at an average of $46,050.77.

Education Minister John Gardner said his department takes the issues of workplace harassment “very seriously”.

“Like any workplace, at times there will be interpersonal issues between people,” he said.

”Our expectation is that our people work together constructively and respectfully, consistent with our culture.”

Seven cases of sexual harassment were made by SA Health employees, and recorded 227 total claims that cost over $8 million.

Treasurer Rob Lucas. Picture: Emma Brasier

SA-Best MLC Frank Pangallo. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Across the government, 24 public servants received compensation for sexual harassment.

SA-BEST MLC Frank Pangallo received the figures during a committee hearing early last week after requesting the data.

He said the statistics were worrying.

“These statistics are extremely disturbing and further proof much more needs to be done to stamp out all forms of harassment in the workplace,” he said.

“One of my concerns is that if principals and teachers are harassing their own, what chance have we of teaching our children about the insidious nature of harassment and the damage it can cause.”

Mr Pangallo said he asked Treasurer Rob Lucas to investigate levels of harassment amid the data revelations.

Mr Lucas said in parliament on Wednesday that the government is working with Ms Ranieri to “provide comprehensive support” to chief executives and senior managers, in order to improve dispute resolution skills.

He said that in some cases, bullying claims are reversed after independent assessment deems them to be performance related, that employees “misconstrued” as bullying or harassment.

Mr Lucas said he and Ms Ranieri have the same goal as Mr Pangallo – to stamp out workplace harassment.

“That (the goal) is to reduce to the extent that we can of bullying and harassment within any worksite, including the public sector.”