Government's Consultation on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Alan Kitto
Earlier this week, the UK Government issued a report following its recent consultation on Sexual Harassment in the workplace.
The report makes a number of recommendations although there is no indication that we’ll see any changes to current legislation in the near future.
The recommendations include:
A duty on employers to ‘take all reasonable steps’ to prevent workplace sexual harassment, including from third parties (such as customers and suppliers etc.)
Protection extended to volunteers and interns as well as employees and workers
An extension to the time limit for Employment Tribunal claims for discrimination from three months to six months.
The consultation and subsequent report is focused on solely on sexual harassment and doesn't discrimination under any of the other protected characteristics (as listed in the Equality Act 2010), but it would be surprising if any future legislative changes in this regard didn't also include these areas too.