The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published a technical note on Sexual Harassment and Harassment at Work.
It claims to be “the authoritative and comprehensive guide to the law and best practice in tackling harassment.” It’s definitely worth reading, particularly section 5 on preventing harassment and responding to harassment.
Employers are responsible for ensuring that workers do not face harassment in their workplace. They should take reasonable steps to protect their workers and will be liable for harassment committed by their workers if they fail to do so
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued guidance on sexual harassment and other forms of harassment at work to help employers, workers and their representatives understand the extent and impact of harassment in the workplace, the law in this area and best practice for effective prevention and response.
The #MeToo movement has highlighted the fact that sexual harassment is pervasive in contexts as diverse as Hollywood and Westminster, and reveals the barriers that many women and men experience in reporting it. Meanwhile research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and ethnic minorities and also continue to face unacceptable levels of harassment at work. No workplace is immune to harassment, and a lack of reported cases does not mean that people have not experienced it.
The EHRC has a set of powerful tools to enforce the law. They can, for example, take organisations to court and intervene in individual cases. They also provide information, support and advice so that employers can help prevent workplace harassment and respond effectively when it does occur.
This guidance is the authoritative and comprehensive guide to the law and best practice in tackling harassment. It provides real and relevant examples for both workers and employers in a user-friendly and accessible way so employers of all sizes and types can take practical steps to eliminate harassment in the workplace.
You can download a copy of the guidance here and read more about sexual harassment at work
30th January 2020