The proposed duty in the ‘Consultation outcome: Consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace: government response’ is for employers to protect workers from sexual harassment, and from harassment by customers, clients and other third parties, by taking ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent it. It is also proposed to extend the time limit for bringing discrimination claims in the Employment Tribunal.
It is proposed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission will publish guidance for employers in due course.
It does not seem that the new protections are intended to extend to interns or volunteers, but the government says that best practice will be to apply new policies as if they did.
Operative date
- To be announced
Recommendation
- Employers can check out the government response to the sexual harassment consultation on the gov.uk website, and respond to the new laws as details are announced.
This article from Atom Content Marketing is for general guidance only, for businesses in the United Kingdom governed by the laws of England. Atom Content Marketing, expert contributors and ICAEW (as distributor) disclaim all liability for any errors or omissions.
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