Workplace Report (December 2018)

Equality news

Advice on dealing with sexual harassment 


Employment relations service Acas, has published new guidance for employers and employees outlining what kind of workplace behaviours could be considered sexual harassment and how to report it.


Acas chair, Brendan Barber, said: “Many employers and employees in the UK may not be aware that all workers are legally protected from sexual harassment in the workplace.”


Acas’ advice includes examples of how sexual harassment can happen at work and says employers should be clear to workers about what sorts of behaviours are unacceptable and would be considered to be sexual harassment.


It advises what a worker should do if they are experiencing harassment from someone in a position of power or influence: they should check if there are workplace policies to address the issue internally before dealing with the problem externally. For example, a complaint of harassment against a head teacher could be handled by school governors.


www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/8/k/Sexual_harassment_in_the_British_workplace.pdf


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