How should a startup deal with issues of verbal abuse and threats against employees?

Law firm Veat received a request from SaaS startup A (hereinafter referred to as "the client") to prepare legal measures to protect the client's employees who have been subjected to verbal abuse and threats from external vendor representatives.

The client's employees have been subjected to serious verbal abuse and threats through text messages and other communication methods from specific external vendor representatives, and considering that this situation threatens the psychological stability of individual employees and the company's internal order, they sought assistance from Law firm Veat startup lawyers.

Law firm Veat startup lawyers noted that the act of repeatedly transmitting text messages or symbols that cause fear or anxiety, is considered illegal under the "Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection," (hereinafter "the Information and Communications Network Act") and analyzed whether the external vendor's actions meet the legal requirements to develop a response plan.

Furthermore, if the verbal abuse poses a risk of infringing on the life, body, freedom, or reputation of the victim, extortion charges may arise under the "Criminal Law." Therefore, we thoroughly analyzed the content of the conversations at the time to determine the possibility of filing a criminal complaint.

Subsequently, we reviewed the "Industrial Safety and Health Act" regarding the obligation to protect client-facing workers, examined whether the client’s employees fall under the definition of 'client-facing workers' as defined by law, and reviewed the client's internal policies and obligation to develop countermeasures.

In particular, Law firm Veat startup lawyers reviewed the usefulness of sending a certified letter to clearly inform the external vendor representative of the seriousness of the verbal abuse and the legal implications and to urge them to change their behavior. We explained that taking such measures would strongly convey the client's and employees' positions while reducing the burden of legal dispute.

Law firm Veat comprehensively reviewed laws suitable for the client’s situation and matter and provided the client with the best response plan based on this.

How should you deal with verbal abuse and threats from external vendor representatives?

The case discussed in this post shows a realistic problem that startups facing problems with verbal abuse and threats from external vendor representatives may encounter. It is important to accurately understand and utilize the legal measures a company can take in such situations.

Problems related to verbal abuse or threats may constitute a violation of the Information and Communications Network Act or extortion charges, depending on the severity and specific circumstances, and these aspects require careful review from a legal perspective. For example, continuous and intentional verbal abuse exceeding simple unpleasant remarks may violate the Information and Communications Network Act or the Criminal Law.

Also, if the person who committed the verbal abuse is an external vendor, it is necessary to examine whether such actions disrupt fair trade practices and constitute unfair trade practices.

To determine whether verbal abuse is simply rude or a clear legal violation, it is necessary to comprehensively review various factors, including the context of the incident and the specific content of the words and actions. Therefore, it is important to discuss this with a legal professional with extensive experience in this area and receive legal advice.

Law firm Veat has accumulated abundant experience in various personnel and labor-related cases. Based on this expertise, we have provided optimal legal advice to numerous startups and companies, playing an important role in creating a stable management environment.

If you are experiencing difficulties with complex personnel and labor-related issues, seek advice from a legal professional to protect your business and resolve complex problems.

Thank you.

Law firm Veat