Employment Update – 2018

Key employment and business immigration developments for employers

In the News

Safeguarding against sexual harassment

With the recent spate of high profile allegations of sexual harassment in politics, Hollywood, the media and business, many employers are reviewing their policies and procedures on the subject. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has also written to FTSE 100 companies and other leading employers asking for evidence of what action they are taking on the issue.

Sexual harassment occurs when a person engages in any form of unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating someone's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. This covers a wide range of behaviour - such as unwelcome advances, suggestive looks and sexual comments or jokes. A one-off incident can be enough.

Employers can also be on the hook for sexual harassment by employees (and potentially also third parties), where the employer has failed to take action to prevent it.

Employers reviewing their safeguarding measures in this area, should therefore...