Pharmacies must be safe workplaces

PHARMACY owners are being urged to develop and implement internal policies to tackle issues around harassment and bullying, following revelations of sexual harassment in a blog post written by a former pharmacist earlier this month.

A Pharmacy Guild of Australia spokesperson told Pharmacy Daily that the organisation did not “tolerate or condone” the behaviour outlined in the blog.

The article was highlighted by the Pharmacists’ Support Services on Twitter, and has led to wide-spread support for the author, who had been a 21-year-old intern at the time the alleged harassment took place, while working for “one of the largest discount pharmacies in Australia”.

In the blog the former pharmacist said she decided to leave the profession due to the impact the experience had on her mental health

She said that she had been rostered to the night shift with a male colleague who had been transferred to the store following a complaint by a female employee at an other pharmacy in the discount group.

The other employee had alleged he had poked her with a sex toy.

The blogger reported the harassment started with comments about her appearance, and escalated to him touching her.

“I didn’t feel comfortable making waves so early in my career,” she said.

“I did what most girls in my situation do. I didn’t feel strong enough to tell him to leave me alone...so instead of speaking up, I shut down.

“I pretended I didn’t notice him staring. I laughed it off when I would catch him quietly sitting behind me as I worked, with his face inches away from my buttocks.”

She said she was not the only female he was harassing, and colleagues had complained about his behaviour, however, management did little other than inform him who had contacted them.

Five years after leaving the profession the author shared her experiences in a letter to the pharmacy group’s HR department only to be told it would be “too hard” to investigate and “unfair on the other pharmacist”, adding it needed to be informed of sexual harassment within three months of the event to investigate allegations.

“Their system made it easier for him to continue to abuse women than for us to make a complaint about it,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Guild said pharmacy owners needed to ensure they “adhere to all relevant legislative requirements to maintain a safe workplace”.

“The Guild also advises members to develop and implement internal policies on harassment, bullying and discrimination which include the education of their employees on this matter,” the spokesperson said.

“In addition, members are advised where a complaint has been raised by an employee it should be investigated.”