UNILODZ – DISCRIMINATION-FREE ZONE

University of Lodz is actively involved in activities aimed at strengthening the organisation's scientific and research potential while providing the entire academic community with appropriate working and studying conditions. As a diverse open and tolerant university, we want every member of the university community to feel a vital part of it.

We support activities that foster positive relationships between students and employees. Guided by the values ​​of respect and openness to diversity, we have introduced a new support system for transgender and non-binary people. Students, doctoral students and those pursuing PhD degree at doctoral schools can use their preferred names and pronouns in Microsoft 365 tools (including Outlook, Teams). This is a step we have taken towards building a space in which every member of the academic community can feel accepted and respected.

We make effort to ensure that the academic environment is free from all forms of violence against people who make up our community. We oppose discrimination, mobbing and any behaviour leading to psychological or physical violence.  

We have implemented preventive actions and measures aimed at mitigating the consequences of identified cases of unwelcome behaviour by developing the Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Mobbing Procedure and appointing relevant bodies – Discrimination and Mobbing Prevention Coordinator, Anti-Mobbing Committee, Discrimination Prevention Team. We believe that the development of an anti-discrimination and anti-mobbing mechanism will strengthen the protection of the rights of all our academic community members.

Different views, values or attitudes clash in social or professional spaces. If it is done respectfully, in a way that does not harm the other person, we see it as a part of a debate or plurality of views. Unfortunately, certain attitudes can violate social standards and lead to unequal treatment, which is manifested by discrimination.

Unequal treatment is "treating natural persons in a way that is one or more of the following: direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, and less favourable treatment of a natural person resulting from rejection, harassment or sexual harassment or submission to harassment or sexual harassment and encouraging or imposing such behaviour".

Forms of discrimination

• direct discrimination,
• indirect discrimination,
• harassment (so-called insults, bullying),
• sexual harassment,
• encouraging discrimination.

Not all cases of unequal treatment can be categorised as discrimination. Discrimination occurs when there is unjustified unequal treatment concerning a legally protected characteristic. At the same time, under the Labour Code, any unequal treatment of employees is considered discrimination.

Discrimination is the deprivation of equal social, political, economic rights of certain groups or entire larger groups of a given society; persecution on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion and other social factors, e.g. related to social origin or gender. The most general anti-discrimination principles are formulated in the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)”.

Discrimination can occur at individual, institutional and structural levels. The negative effects of discrimination are felt first and foremost by the person who is experiencing it, but also by the organisation as a whole, affecting the atmosphere and quality of work.

Effects of discrimination

• deterioration of the quality of life of those affected by discrimination,
• health problems,
• absenteeism,
• disruption of social relations within the group,
• wasting intellectual potential in the organisation,
• reduced motivation to work,
• deterioration of atmosphere in the learning and working environments,
• loss of trust and confidence,
• loss of image and reputation.

Where does discrimination come from?

Many factors are responsible for the inequalities that exist today. Some of them, such as historical legal systems have sometimes been responsible for sanctioning inequality. Discrimination can occur out of ignorance and lack of awareness, as well as the creation of a false image which, when perpetuated, leads to a discriminatory behaviour. Discrimination is a result of social stereotypes, which in turn lead to prejudice. However, the elimination of legal discrimination proves to be insufficient, as other psychosocial mechanisms are also responsible for social discrimination.

Stereotypes are a certain set of beliefs concerning a given group, prejudice is an attitude built on stereotypes and feelings, while discrimination is an unjustified, selective behaviour towards members of a stereotyped group. This mechanism works in a similar way, no matter which group is affected.

Chain of discrimination

Stereotypes – Prejudice – Discrimination

Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination are targeted at various groups, called minority groups, those at risk of discrimination/exclusion, marginalisation, and finally (rarely) underprivileged groups. Their list, similarly to the factors of prejudice and discrimination, is still evolving, and broader than the catalogue accepted by lawyers.

Mobbing means activities and behaviours concerning the employee or directed against the employee, comprising persistent and lingering harassment or intimidation of the employee resulting in their understated assessment of occupational fitness causing or aimed at humiliating or ridiculing the employee, ostracising them or eliminating them from the team of co-workers.

University of Lodz is committed to combating all manifestations of mobbing before negative consequences occur in the form of a lowered assessment of professional suitability, elimination from the team, isolation or damage to health.

Types of mobbing behaviour

• Work-related mobbing is associated with work tasks and roles: it aims at making tasks difficult/impossible to perform, forces to perform work of lower quality, increases the risk of error, overloads, aims at demonstrating the unsuitability of the employee
• Person-related mobbing is focused on the human being: a person's characteristics, qualities, beliefs, the way they function in relation to other people, their private lives, etc. are all targeted
• Passive and indirect mobbing: isolating, spreading rumours
• Active and direct mobbing: physical or psychological aggression targeted at a person
• Psychological mobbing, e.g. blackmail, isolation, showing contempt
• Physical mobbing, e.g. pushing, sexual harassment, destroying property, hiding items belonging to the victim or needed to perform their work.

We speak of mobbing when the behaviour is repeated, continuous and consistent, continues over a long period of time, despite reporting mobbing incidents. It is intentional and leads to the employee's lowered assessment of their professional suitability, causes isolation and elimination from the team.

Behaviour and situations such as a single incident of ridicule or disregard of an employee, justified criticism concerning the performance of work rather than a person, conflict between individuals are not considered mobbing. Demands made on an employee as long as they are justified in terms of content and organisation, and the manner in which they are enforced does not violate the dignity of the employee are also not considered mobbing.

The Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Mobbing Procedure that has been introduced at the University of Lodz offers various paths of intervention aimed at mitigating the effects of identified discrimination and mobbing cases, and introduces a mechanism for reporting cases of discrimination/mobbing at the university.

Discrimination and Mobbing Prevention Coordinator

 

• Dr hab. Dorota Merecz-Kot, Associate Professor

Discrimination Prevention Team

• Dr hab. Robert Zakrzewski, Associate Professor – the University of Lodz Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Education, Chairperson of the Discrimination Prevention Team
• Prof. Dr hab. Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz – the University of Lodz Rector's Representative for International Exchange Programmes
• Dr Anna Gutowska-Ciołek – the University of Lodz Rector's Representative for the Disabled, Head of the Academic Support Centre of the University of Lodz
• Dr Katarzyna Liberska-Kinderman – Communications and PR Centre
• Dr Aleksandra Różalska – Head of the Women's Studies Centre
• mgr Anna Felisiak – Director of the Social Affairs Centre for Students and Doctoral Students, the University of Lodz Accessibility Coordinator
• mgr Marzena Bednarek-Kokosza – Director of the Recruitment and Didactic Excellence Centre
• mgr Liliana Lato – Head of the International Relations Office
• Eryk Zywert – Representative of the University Students' Government Council at the University of Lodz
• mgr Maria Plucińska – Representative of the University Doctoral Students' Government Council at the University of Lodz
• mgr Lilianna Światek – Representative of the Union of Polish Teachers (ZNP)
• Dr Dominik Szczukocki, Associate Professor – Representative of NSZZ "Solidarność"

Anti-mobbing Committee at the University of Lodz

• Prof. Dr hab. Łukasz Bogucki – the University of Lodz Vice-Rector for International Relations, Chairperson of the Anti-Mobbing Committee (employer's representatives)
• Dr Jarosław Grabarczyk – the University of Lodz Deputy Chancellor for Social and General Affairs (employer’s representatives)
• Dr hab. Mirosław Włodarczyk, Associate Professor – Representative of NSZZ "Solidarność".
• Dr Dominik Szczukocki, Associate Professor – Representative of NSZZ "Solidarność"
• Prof. Dr hab. Jacek Matuszewski – Representative of the Union of Polish Teachers (ZNP)
• Dr Anna Tomza-Tulejska – Representative of the Union of Polish Teachers (ZNP)
• Dr Julita Czernecka – Staff Representative
• mgr Marta Sieradzka-Solecka – Faculty Social Labour Inspector
• Dr hab. Dorota Merecz-Kot, Associate Professor – psychologist
• Dr hab. Katarzyna Walęcka-Matyja, Associate Professor – psychologist
• Prof. Dr hab. Zbigniew Hajn – lawyer, specialist in labour law
• Dr hab. Dariusz Makowski, Associate Professor – lawyer, specialist in labour law

The obligation to prevent discrimination stems from both Polish and European legislation, including:

• Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2 April 1997 
• Act of 26 June 1974 – the Labour Code 
• Act of 3 December 2010 on the implementation of some regulations of European Union regarding equal treatment 
• Act of 20 April 2004 on promotion of employment and on labour market institutions 
• Resolution by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Charter of Persons with Disabilities
• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations of 13 December 2006
• Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation 
• European Parliament Resolution of 11 September 2018 on measures to prevent and combat bullying and sexual harassment at workplace, in public spaces, and political life in the EU 
• Academics’ Code of Ethics
• Code of Conduct for Recruitment of Academics
• European Charter for Teachers 

as well as, signed by the university:

• Declaration of Social Responsibility of the University
• Diversity Charter 

and from the university’s internal regulations:

• Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Mobbing Procedure 
• Work Rules and Regulations
• Code of Ethics for Doctoral Students at the University of Lodz
• Study Rules and Regulations