Sexual Harassment Policy Chile (Política de Acoso Sexual Laboral)

A Sexual Harassment Policy Chile (Política de Acoso Sexual Laboral) is the mandatory written workplace instrument establishing procedures for the prevention, reporting, investigation, and sanctioning of sexual harassment in employment relationships, governed by Ley 21.369 of September 2021 and the comprehensive framework of Articles 211-A through 211-J of the Código del Trabajo, as substantially amended by Ley 21.369. Ley 21.369 — the Ley que Regula el Acoso Sexual, la Violencia y la Discriminación de Género en el Ámbito de la Educación Superior — extended anti-harassment obligations originally developed for employment contexts to educational institutions, while simultaneously strengthening the enforcement mechanisms applicable to workplaces under the Código del Trabajo.

Article 211-A of the Código del Trabajo defines acoso sexual laboral as any action of sexual connotation performed by a person who takes advantage of a situation of superiority or co-worker relationship that causes the victim to perceive an intimidating, hostile, or humiliating working environment, or that constitutes a condition for access to employment or continuation in employment. This definition — introduced by the original Ley 20.005 of 2005 and expanded in jurisprudential interpretation by the Dirección del Trabajo through Dictámenes and the Juzgados de Letras del Trabajo — encompasses both quid pro quo harassment (acoso por chantaje or acoso de intercambio, where submission to sexual conduct is explicitly or implicitly conditioned on employment benefits) and environmental harassment (acoso ambiental, where the conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or humiliating atmosphere).

The Constitución Política de la República de Chile of 1980 provides the fundamental rights basis for workplace anti-harassment obligations through Article 19 No. 1 (right to physical and psychological integrity — integridad física y psíquica), Article 19 No. 2 (equality before the law and prohibition of arbitrary discrimination), Article 19 No. 4 (right to privacy and honour — respeto y protección a la vida privada y a la honra de la persona y su familia), and Article 19 No. 16 (freedom of work). The Corte Suprema de Justicia has held in multiple rulings that sexual harassment in the workplace constitutes a violation of the worker's fundamental rights enforceable through the tutela de derechos fundamentales procedure of Articles 485–495 of the Código del Trabajo.

Ley 21.369 of 2021 introduced critical new elements to Chile's anti-harassment framework: mandatory sexual harassment prevention policies (políticas de prevención) for all employers subject to the Código del Trabajo; extended protection to workers who report harassment against colleagues (expanded protection against retaliation); strengthened investigation deadlines enforced by the Dirección del Trabajo; and criminal liability provisions for employers who fail to investigate or who retaliate against complainants. The Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social issued the Reglamento de Ley 21.369 through Decreto Supremo N° 104 of 2022, establishing the minimum content requirements for workplace anti-harassment policies and the procedural standards for DT-supervised investigations.

The Dirección del Trabajo (DT) — through its División de Inspección (DINSPEC) and regional Inspecciones del Trabajo — actively enforces Ley 21.369 and Articles 211-A through 211-J of the Código del Trabajo through surprise workplace audits, review of Reglamentos Internos de Orden, Higiene y Seguridad (RIOHS), and investigation of denuncias. The DT's Circular N° 3.230 of 2022 established operational guidelines for inspectors verifying employer compliance with the new anti-harassment policy obligations. The Instituto de Seguridad Laboral (ISL) and the mutual societies (ACHS, Mutual de Seguridad, IST) provide complementary prevention resources and training materials that employers may incorporate into their Política de Acoso Sexual Laboral.

A Sexual Harassment Policy Chile is legally mandatory for all employers subject to the Código del Trabajo who employ workers in Chile, following the enactment of Ley 21.369 of 2021 and the implementation regulations under Decreto Supremo N° 104 of 2022 issued by the Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social. The policy obligation applies regardless of company size — unlike some other employment law requirements, there is no minimum employee threshold for the anti-harassment policy obligation under Article 211-A.

The policy is required when a company formalizes or updates its Reglamento Interno de Orden, Higiene y Seguridad (RIOHS). Articles 153–157 of the Código del Trabajo require employers with ten or more workers to maintain a written RIOHS — but the anti-harassment policy provisions of Ley 21.369 and Articles 211-A through 211-J apply to all employers with any workers, regardless of RIOHS threshold. For companies with fewer than ten employees, a standalone Política de Acoso Sexual Laboral document serves the legal purpose even absent a full RIOHS. The Dirección del Trabajo verifies both the RIOHS and the standalone policy during workplace inspections (visitas de terreno) under Article 505 of the Código del Trabajo.

The policy is required immediately when an employer receives a complaint (denuncia) of sexual harassment under Article 211-B of the Código del Trabajo — whether from the directly affected worker or from a third party acting on the victim's behalf. Article 211-B requires the employer to initiate a formal internal investigation within five working days (cinco días hábiles) of receiving the complaint, following the procedures established in the anti-harassment policy. Employers that lack a written policy at the time a complaint is received face heightened Dirección del Trabajo sanctions, as the absence of a policy is independently sanctionable under Ley 21.369.

The policy is needed when companies operating in sectors with high reported incidence of workplace sexual harassment — mining (regulada by Sernageomin, the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería), hospitality and tourism, retail, health services (Ministerio de Salud — MINSAL), and financial services (supervised by the CMF — Comisión para el Mercado Financiero) — design sector-specific prevention programmes aligned with the guidance of the Instituto de Seguridad Laboral (ISL), their mutual society (ACHS, Mutual de Seguridad, IST), and the Superintendencia del rubro aplicable.

For educational institutions — universidades, institutos profesionales, and centros de formación técnica regulated by the CNED and the Ministerio de Educación — Ley 21.369 of 2021 directly created mandatory anti-harassment protocols that parallel and extend the Código del Trabajo framework. These institutions must maintain both a workplace anti-harassment policy covering employment relationships and a separate student/academic community protocol covering harassment between students, faculty, and staff under the institutional regulations (reglamentos internos) reviewed by the Superintendencia de Educación Superior.

A legally compliant Sexual Harassment Policy Chile under Ley 21.369 of 2021 and Decreto Supremo N° 104 of 2022 must contain specific mandatory elements to meet the minimum content requirements established by the Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social and the Dirección del Trabajo.

Policy Scope and Definitions: A clear statement of the policy's application to all workers — whether employed under indefinite contracts (contratos indefinidos), fixed-term contracts (contratos a plazo fijo), or project-specific contracts (contratos por obra o faena) — and to all workplace locations, including remote work (teletrabajo) arrangements regulated under Ley 21.220 of 2020. The definition of acoso sexual laboral must track the Article 211-A standard: an action of sexual connotation performed by a person who takes advantage of a position of superiority or co-worker relationship, causing an intimidating, hostile, or humiliating environment or constituting a condition of employment. The policy should also define acoso laboral (workplace bullying) under Article 2 inciso 2 of the Código del Trabajo and violencia laboral to ensure comprehensive prevention coverage consistent with Ley 21.369's broader scope.

Prevention Commitments: The employer's explicit commitment to zero tolerance for sexual harassment, backed by concrete prevention measures: mandatory training (capacitación) for all staff including managers and supervisors (at least annually under Decreto Supremo N° 104 of 2022 guidelines); gender perspective integration (perspectiva de género) in performance management and promotion decisions; and designation of a Persona de Confianza or Encargado/a de Prevención responsible for receiving complaints informally before formal procedures are initiated — a role recommended by the DT's Circular N° 3.230 of 2022.

Complaint Channels (Canales de Denuncia): Multiple accessible channels for workers to report harassment — a written internal complaint form (formulario de denuncia interna), a dedicated email address or confidential hotline, and the external DT complaint channel (denuncia ante la Inspección del Trabajo competente) under Article 211-B. Under Ley 21.369, workers may also report directly to the Ministerio Público (Chilean public prosecution service) if the conduct constitutes a criminal offence under Articles 223 bis, 297, or related articles of the Código Penal.

Investigation Procedure: A step-by-step internal investigation protocol complying with Articles 211-B through 211-F of the Código del Trabajo and Decreto Supremo N° 104 of 2022: (1) receipt of complaint (denuncia) within five working days; (2) designation of an investigating official (funcionario instructor) who is impartial and has no hierarchical relationship with either party; (3) separate interviews with the complainant (denunciante), the accused (denunciado/a), and witnesses; (4) collection and preservation of evidence (correos electrónicos, mensajes de texto, registros de cámara de seguridad, as applicable); (5) preparation of an informe de investigación within thirty working days (extended to sixty days when the employer refers the investigation to the DT under Article 211-C); (6) notification of conclusions to both parties; and (7) employer decision on sanctions or measures within five additional working days.

Protection Measures for the Complainant: Provisional measures (medidas precautorias) to protect the complainant during the investigation — including separation of the complainant and accused (cambio de lugar de trabajo), restriction of workplace access, or temporary reassignment — that do not adversely affect the complainant's employment conditions or constitute indirect punishment. Article 211-D mandates that any protective measures taken must not prejudice the complainant's employment rights, and the Juzgados de Letras del Trabajo may order additional protective injunctions through the tutela de derechos fundamentales procedure.

Sanctions and Consequences: A clear sanction framework for confirmed harassment findings, ranging from written warnings (amonestaciones escritas) and fines (multas al trabajador acosador, not to the company) to dismissal with cause under Article 160 No. 1 letter b of the Código del Trabajo (actos, demostraciones o trato injurioso u ofensivo) or Article 160 No. 1 letter f (conducta inmoral del trabajador que afecte la empresa donde se desempeña). The policy must also specify the employer's liability for failing to sanction confirmed harassment — under the tutela procedure, courts may award compensation of up to 11 months' salary to the victim and may order the employer to pay additional damages under Article 489 of the Código del Trabajo.

Anti-Retaliation Protections: Express prohibition of retaliation (represalias) against complainants, witnesses, and anyone who participates in the investigation process — backed by the enhanced anti-retaliation provisions of Ley 21.369 and the DT Dictámenes confirming that any adverse employment action (disciplinary measures, demotion, forced transfer, termination) taken against a complainant within a specified period following the complaint creates a presumption of retaliation subject to tutela protection. Forms-legal.com provides this Política de Acoso Sexual Laboral Chile template as a mandatory compliance starting point — all employers should have the policy reviewed by a licensed Abogado laboral and incorporated into the RIOHS after consultation with the Comité Paritario de Higiene y Seguridad (where applicable) and the relevant Inspección del Trabajo. Los usuarios de forms-legal.com pueden descargar este documento de forma gratuita en formato PDF o DOCX, completar los campos del formulario guiado y obtener un documento listo para firma.