The #MeToo movement has shone a harsh spotlight on sexual harassment in the workplace (see feature article "Sexual harassment in the workplace: a ticking time bomb"). On 15 January 2020, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published new technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work (the guidance), calling for employers to "step up and protect staff from harassment".
Employers are advised to review and revise their policies, and start taking steps towards implementing some of the measures highlighted in the guidance if they do not have them in place already. It will become increasingly difficult to justify inaction and, with a statutory code on the horizon as well as the possibility of a mandatory duty, there will be no excuse for employers failing to act. The burden is shifting: it is no longer solely on the individual to challenge inappropriate conduct but on the employer to prevent and tackle it.
Read the full article here.
This article first appeared in the April 2020 issue of PLC Magazine.