Employers in England, Wales and Scotland must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their staff. You are also responsible if a client, customer or other outsider harasses one of your employees and you did not do enough to stop it. If an employee wins a sexual harassment claim and you failed in this duty, a tribunal can increase their compensation by up to 25%. The Equality and Human Rights Commission, the equality watchdog, can also take enforcement action against your business. This article explains the new legal obligations on employers, how the law is changing, and what practical steps businesses should take to remain compliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sexual harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature that violates someone’s dignity or creates an environment that is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples of things that could be considered sexual harassment include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key issue is whether the behaviour was unwanted and made the person feel violated, intimidated or offended. The harasser does not need to intend harm. What matters is how their behaviour affected the person receiving it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sexual harassment at work is against the law and is considered a form of unlawful discrimination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
As an employer, you are responsible for ensuring your staff do not engage in any form of sexual harassment<\/a>. This responsibility extends beyond the physical workplace. You can be held liable if one of your employees sexually harasses someone in work-related settings and situations outside the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n