Article 17 of Law 4808/2021 grants extended powers to the Labour Inspectorate regarding incidents of violence and harassment, in order to provide enhanced safeguards for affected persons and ensure that all liable parties comply with their statutory obligations. More specifically, the Labour Inspectorate is responsible for handling complaints from affected persons about incidents of violence and harassment at work, violation of the rights of affected persons or the existence of retaliation (Articles 4, 12 and 13 of Law 4808/2021) and for checking compliance with the employer’s preventative obligations, irrespective of whether an application has been submitted by an affected person (Articles 5-11 of Law 4808/2021).

In addition, the Labour Inspectorate is designated as the body responsible for providing relevant advice to both employers and workers, ensuring that employers take all appropriate measures in each case, and keeping a register of employers against whom an administrative sanction has been imposed for violating the prohibition of violence and harassment at work. Cooperation and exchanges of information with competent public bodies is also established, particularly within the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and with the Ombudsman, in order to ensure a proper assessment and holistic management of the phenomenon.

Furthermore, to strengthen the compliance mechanism, an Independent Department for Monitoring Violence and Harassment at Work has been established. Its responsibilities include monitoring the progress of complaints about violence and harassment, ensuring that they are addressed swiftly and effectively, providing advisory support to inspectors in cooperation with the competent departments/units of the Ministry and in accordance with best practices for addressing such incidents, and maintaining a register of employers against whom an administrative sanction has been imposed for violating the prohibition of violence and harassment at work.