Survey finds harassment cases among Finnish parliament staff

A new internal survey by Finland’s parliament has found cases of harassment and inappropriate conduct among parliamentary assistants, prompting officials to call for continued action to improve workplace safety.

The survey, commissioned by the parliamentary administration, focused on assistants directly employed by parliament. About 40 assistants fall under this category. According to the findings, some inappropriate conduct and harassment occurs, though not on a wide scale.

Seven respondents said they had experienced harassment or inappropriate behaviour during the past 12 months. Most cases involved members of parliament, according to the responses. Some assistants also reported inappropriate comments about appearance and unsuitable language. Others said their work had faced unjustified criticism.

The parliamentary occupational safety committee reviewed the results on Wednesday. In a statement, the parliamentary administration said the level and nature of reported conduct matched earlier staff surveys. The administration said inappropriate behaviour does not appear widespread and varies in form.

The survey results emerged amid wider public debate about conduct inside parliament following harassment allegations involving several Social Democratic Party MPs.

The occupational safety committee said all staff groups must feel safe at work. The committee stressed the need to continue measures aimed at preventing harassment and inappropriate conduct.

Most parliamentary assistants work under the payroll of parliamentary groups rather than directly for parliament. The survey only covered those employed by the parliamentary administration, limiting the scope of the findings. Several parliamentary groups have launched their own internal reviews and plan to publish results independently.

The parliamentary administration said it has carried out long-term work to prevent inappropriate conduct. Staff experiences are reviewed regularly through internal surveys, and reporting channels remain available to all employees.

The administration noted that parliamentary group reporting systems play a role, though staff can also use a central electronic reporting channel operated by the parliamentary administration. The occupational safety committee said awareness of these channels needs to improve.

HT