Women’s groups slam harassment bill change

A collection of 17 women’s groups and trade unions have condemned “last minute” government amendments to a bill to protect women from sexual harassment at work, saying they will dilute vital measures for making workplaces safer.

A 2021 report by the Fawcett Society gender equality charity found that at least 40% of women experience workplace sexual harassment. The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill aims to address the problem by requiring employers “to proactively prevent sexual harassment”, including taking steps to prevent harassment by other employees and third parties, such as customers and clients.

But the late amendments, introduced as the private member’s bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons, “risks undermining these changes”, according to a joint statement by the Fawcett Society, TUC, Young Women’s Trust, the Usdaw retail workers’ union, and Prospect specialists’ union, among others.

“We are deeply disappointed by the government’s addition of a last-minute amendment in the House of Commons that runs a real risk of diluting critically important changes which seek to make workplaces fairer, safer and more respectful – not just for women but for everyone,” the statement says.

The amendments will water down the proposed protections, say the groups, and, in particular, undermine measures to make employers liable for third-party harassment.