Workplace exploitation and tacit prostitution needs to end

[mattsh]

Ukrainian girls are graduating with honors from the country’s top universities. But, when it comes to getting a job, honor may be a liability.

My friend applied for a post as personal assistant to a chief executive of a top Ukrainian bank. Without much ceremony, she says, her interviewer asked if she had a boyfriend. Smelling the coffee, she evaded the answer and replied with all courtesy that it was not an appropriate question for an interview. The manager briskly apologized, turned it into a joke, but then surprised her again with another off-color question. This time he wondered if she went to a gym often. My friend got very stern and warned that she would leave immediately if he pressed on with the same line of questioning. The man backed off again, saying that they had a good benefits package, including a gym membership. He then showered her with promises of a company car, a mobile phone and a laptop. When they finally got to a job description, it all seemed boringly typical until they got to a final duty. If she took the job of his boss’s secretary, she would have to provide quality services of an intimate character upon his request.

This certainly qualifies as sexual harassment, but it is yet to be constituted in Ukrainian law.

Perhaps the lawmakers are slow in defining it because they have a finger in the same pie.

For those female journalists who cover the parliament, dealing with sexual approaches became a part of their job. A trusted journalist friend of mine who wished to remain anonymous has told me that many of her colleagues in the Rada also serve as mistresses to those in charge, and on whose activities they are supposed to be reporting on. They have allegedly accepted it out of their own free will, so their compensation packages could outpace inflation. So instead of acting as undercover agents for their newsrooms, they have turned into tacit prostitutes.

More  ==> http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/oped/29301/

[rjm]

I think this topic was covered recently,certainly when I was in Moscow it was quite common for a boss to offer 2 salaries, the higher one was for obvious "extra duties" shall we say!

Id be surprised if this practice has died out yet and I am sure its still alive and well in some Ukrainian companies. 

[Vera]

I do not remember the name of the movie with Michael Douglas but I liked this phrase from it:” Sexual harassment is not about sex, it is about power”. Had it not been about power, like someone here mentioned before, he (the above mentioned bank exacutive)would simply go buy the service and be done with it and would not harass decent women.

[P-N]

I do not remember the name of the movie with Michael Douglas but I liked this phrase from it:” Sexual harassment is not about sex, it is about power”. Had it not been about power, like someone here mentioned before, he (the above mentioned bank exacutive)would simply go buy the service and be done with it and would not harass decent women.

You are quite right V - most sexual offences are driven by power rather than the sexual act itself...........well according to the majority of (if not all) head doctors and profilers.

[Moving]

I agree considering the story reported as a breach of the laws. On the other hand, since laws against "sexual harassment" (your words) are not enforced yet, tecnically the "demanding ukrainian boss" has committed no punishable crime.

With the risk of being again (purposely) misinterpreted I would like to say that "giving that sort of favours" might provide any decent looking girl with an extra salary even in the more civilized Western Europe.

Now I want to raise a contradictory point, why (I have noticed it in Moscow) these girls are willing to go through that? According to me even the question of a "salary keeping up with inflation" is a simply a comfortable lie. In western Europe we do not have salaries keeping up with the inflations, though the number of girls willing to go through that is lower.

In Russia a huge percentage of women admitted it was not big deal to give that sort of favours to your boss in exchange of a pay rise. 

If to my eyes the ukrainian case reported by the journalist doubtlessly show a sick working (social?) system, another face of the story reveals how in these countries (I include Russia as well) sex is more often perceived and accepted as a way to get to your goals. 

[P-N]

A similar instance (but not exact) occured in the company I own in 2004. 

A young lady was employed by one department within the company in one of the regional offices.  She was full of drive but unfortunately not suited to the position she was given in the regional office.  When it became clear to her that this was the case, she slept "repeatedly" with the regional manager and "apparantly" bragged she was unsackable after office gossip spread that she was providing "extra" to the regional manager.  In return for this, her statistics relating to performance were "massaged" by the regional manager.

When this eventually came to the attention of the Head Office and eventually then to me..........both found out she had been sleeping with the wrong man and were sacked immediately.   

[Capt.Ted]

I agree considering the story reported as a breach of the laws. On the other hand, since laws against "sexual harassment" (your words) are not enforced yet, tecnically the "demanding ukrainian boss" has committed no punishable crime.

Frankly speaking although it might not be enshrined in any definable Ukrainian law as yet - it is nevertheless contrary
to all acceptable standards of business practice and behaviour.       
My advice to all decent russian and ukrainian women is - NAME and SHAME.
You have the technology - namely mobile phones with camaras and camcorders to record the offence, use it.

[Carlushika]

From the Ukrainian Journal

Gender equality: So far, a lot of talk

Although Ukrainian law prohibits sexual discrimination, gender discrimination is a widespread phenomenon in the country. The most common examples include:

• unequal pay for women and men with identical qualifications and equal conditions of work;
• advertisements for job vacancies where only women or only men are sought;
• demands that individuals applying for a job provide information about their private life, such as plans to have children or to get married;
• sexual harassment and sexual persecution.

http://www.ukrainianjournal.com/index.php?w=comment&id=74

and

International Centre for Policy Studies website

http://www.icps.com.ua/eng/project.html?pid=122

[Moving]

OK Carlusha I get your point but please do not be so naive that employers do not ask for personal life infos to their candidates. In one way or the other they will get your details if necessary.

On my last job interview with a HUGE fashion brand, I had to write the profession of my parents and how old were they.

[Carlushika]

OK Carlusha I get your point but please do not be so naive that employers do not ask for personal life infos to their candidates. In one way or the other they will get your details if necessary.

I did not say that "employers do not" for I know "they do". I've seen it all, trust me.

[Moving]

i was wrong.

meant you should not think it happens just in ukraine, even western europe sees that regularly

does someone know why employers ask "hoiw much was your last salary?"

[ecocks]

Three reasons, two rational and the other, hmmmm, let's say, "open to interpretation."

First, one of the ways an employer can evaluate both your previous employment and your career progression is from the salary you earned performing the duties of the position.  If you claim to have been Vice-President of North American Sales and Marketing but your salary was $42,000 with incentives, then they will question how complex the job was to have such a grand title yet pay so low. Additionally, if the position is similar to ones they are offering it validates their salary scales or gives them cause to consider changing their compensation structure.  Further, if your salary history demonstrates progressive salary growth, consistent with increasing responsibilities and costs of living adjustments, it indicates the probability of solid performance evaluations and growth in your career field.

Secondly, when a company is pulling someone up into a promotion (whether internal or external) it gives them an indication of what their package needs to offer in terms of direct and indirect compensation along with how successful their recruiting effort will be and whether it even makes sense to continue trying to recruit a certain candidate.  If you have been earning more than they are able to pay they can assess whether they are able to offer something your previous job(s) didn't (geography, lifestyle, benefits, schedules, etc.) or whether they should just continue looking for another suitable candidate.

The third reason is less rational, although understandable as a result of human nature.  It is also, traditionally the one that certain people bluster about concerning confidentiality, privacy and unethical behavior.  Simply, there are a significant number of employers who will, in fact, use your previous salary as a  basis for any potential offer you might receive.  Their logic [usually faulty] is all too often based upon the "fact" that what you made in your previous employment is some sort of beginning indicator of what you will consider if you accept employment from their company.  That said, there are a few companies which do have policies with regard to justifying paying certain levels within their authorized range based upon this information.

When recruiting for all professional and most administrative positions, I request a salary history at either the first or second stage of the process.  The only exception to this policy is when the company or client has a rigid salary scale allowing for no variations, in which case it is stated in the job ad although the salary history is still useful for reasons one and two.  Persons who cannot or will not provide this information are not considered as viable candidates any longer.

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