Give employers duty to prevent harassment, campaign urges

Employers should be legally liable if they fail to protect their staff from sexual harassment at work, according to a campaign launched on Wednesday.

An alliance of unions, charities and women’s rights groups have launched a petition for new legislation that would require employers to take preventative measures to stop sexual misconduct in the workplace.

These would be outlined in a code of practice for employers, and will include mandatory training for staff and managers, and clear policies on the subject.

The alliance, called This is Not Working, includes the Fawcett Society, Action Aid, Amnesty and Time’s Up UK.

The Fawcett Society chief executive, Sam Smethers, said: “We need to strengthen the law to better protect women from harassment from co-workers, clients or customers and we need a new duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment. They have to take responsibility for their own workplace culture.

“Everyone is entitled to dignity and respect at work. Sexual harassment has no place in any workplace.”

The government is set to launch a consultation on workplace sexual harassment soon, when they will consider introducing a duty on employers to take preventative action, as well as extending protections to interns and volunteers.

Currently, it’s the responsibility of victims to report sexual harassment at work, and there is no legal obligation for employers to take proactive action to stop it from happening.

Research carried out by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) found that more than half of women have been sexually harassed at work, as well as seven out of 10 LGBT workers.

However, 79% of women don’t feel able to report incidents of sexual harassment to their employers, and a quarter of LGBT people said they did not report because they were afraid of being “outed” at work.

TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “It’s shocking that in 2019 so many people experience sexual harassment and assault while at work. The government must strengthen the law to put responsibility for preventing harassment on employers.

“This would shift the burden of tackling sexual harassment away from individuals. And it would help end toxic workplace cultures that silence those who’ve been harassed.”

Their research found that one in eight women have experienced unwanted sexual touching or attempts to kiss them at work, while 28% have received comments of a sexual nature about their body or clothes in the workplace.

A quarter of victims felt that they would not be taken seriously when reporting, and 15% thought it would have a negative impact on their career prospects.

Last week the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted a treaty that will introduce a global set of standards to prevent and deal with gender-based violence and harassment at work.

The first of its kind convention will require ILO members, including the UK, to develop national laws prohibiting workplace violence, as well as providing protection measures and victim services.