Chilean Firm Lizama Abogados Launched Observatorio Ley Karin
Less than a month before the entry into force of Law 21.643 in Chile, the law firm led by Luis Lizama launched a website aimed at contributing to the training and guidance for different actors in the labor field regarding the new legal framework.
The law firm Lizama Abogados launched the Observatorio Ley Karin, a platform designed to highlight the importance of Law 21.643, which amends the Labor Code concerning the prevention, investigation, and sanctioning of workplace harassment, sexual harassment, and violence, that will take effect on August 1st, 2024 in Chile. .
The law's name is based on the case of Karin Salgado, a Senior Level Nursing Technician (TENS) who suffered workplace harassment and committed suicide in 2019. Her tragic story prompted the creation of a new legal framework in Chile.
The Observatorio Ley Karin aims to inform, raise awareness, and guide employers, workers, unions, professional associations, academics, and others on the scope, duties, and rights enshrined in this new legal framework, facilitating its implementation and ensuring compliance.
The website https://leykarin.lizamabogados.cl/ seeks to become a central repository of the most relevant information related to Law 21.643, including legal documentation, case law, rights and duties of employers and workers, legal alerts, and news. It will also offer tools for employers to implement the regulations in their organizations and for potential victims to know how to file a complaint.
"The example of Claudia Salgado, Karin's sister, motivated us as a law firm to embark on this initiative. Although we advise companies and employers, no one can oppose a law that prevents and sanctions workplace harassment and violence and recognizes that workers have the fundamental right to work in a violence-free environment," said Luis Lizama, partner at Lizama Abogados.
Discussion Forum
The launch event, held on Thursday, July 11, featured a panel made up by David Acuña, president of the CUT; Pablo Zenteno, Director of Labor; and Paula Coronel, Corporate Manager of People and Sustainability at SMU. The session was moderated by Patricia Roa, Program Officer of the ILO.
During the forum, the president of the CUT addressed the challenges of Law 21.643. “The compliance models that companies design may look very nice on paper, but what's fundamental here is the cultural change within workplaces. That's the only way this new legal framework will enable harassment- and violence-free work environments,” warned David Acuña.
On the other hand, the Director of Labor, Pablo Zenteno, emphasized that since the main goal of Law 21.643 is prevention, "hopefully, we won't face a scenario with a large number of complaints about mistreatment, abuse, and violence. Instead, we hope to manage these processes through preventive measures in the medium term.” Additionally, Paula Coronel, Manager of People and Sustainability, agreed on the need for cultural change and prevention. She also noted, “The challenge for authorities and employers is the principle of expediency in the law. The maximum time limits for investigations can be a mental burden for people—both the accused and the accuser—and no one wants to go through that. I believe it’s an ethical challenge we must take on.”