An employer’s guide to dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace
May 12, 2019
Recent headlines have shattered any illusions that sexual harassment in the workplace had become a thing of the past. The ongoing media coverage of allegations made against high-profile business figures may now lead to an increase in complaints made by others who have encountered inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature while at work.
What is sexual harassment?
Under the Equalities Act 2010, sexual harassment is defined as unwanted conduct related to someone’s sex, or which is of a sexual nature, and which creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It may involve colleagues looking at sexually explicit content at work, uninvited physical contact, making sexual comments or emailing sexual jokes.
Responding to concerns about sexual harassment
Employers can be liable for one employee’s sexual harassment of another employee, even where they were unaware that it was happening. Therefore, any suggestion that sexual harassment may be occurring, or has occurred in the past, needs to be taken very seriously. Do not wait for a formal grievance to be raised – even the mere mention of concerns to a manager should put you on notice of a potential problem.
The employee may feel embarrassed and worried about not being believed or the potential consequences of raising a grievance. Although the employee cannot be forced to pursue an official complaint, an employer’s failure to act could be risky: vicarious liability for any sexual harassment claims, potential further harassment of other staff, loss of talent and reputational damage are all possible consequences.
The employee should be offered support and reassurances that any concerns will be dealt with appropriately and confidentially. Many employers have a bullying and harassment policy with specific commitments on supporting employees raising allegations of harassment. You and all of your managers need to be familiar with your policy.
Consider suspending the alleged perpetrator
If the allegations are serious, consider whether the alleged perpetrator should be suspended from work. Even where the allegations are less serious, the complainant may feel uncomfortable continuing to work with the person they have raised concerns about. You may consider changing their working arrangements to minimise contact between the employees during the investigation. This needs to be done carefully to ensure neither employee feels victimised or that the outcome of the investigation has been pre-judged.
Investigating the allegations and wider issues
As with any grievance, investigate the allegations promptly. The investigator should be careful before reaching any judgments about whether the complainant is being ‘over sensitive’. As explained above, conduct may be regarded as sexual harassment where it has the purpose or effect of violating the complainant’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. When determining whether the conduct complained about meets this criterion, an employment tribunal will consider the complainant’s perception, the surrounding circumstances and whether the conduct could reasonably have that effect.
Look out for any wider issues, which may need to be addressed. For example, might colleagues be turning a blind eye to inappropriate behaviour due to a perpetrator’s seniority or status as a joker or star employee?
If the allegations relate to incidences some time ago, think about and question why the complainant has felt unable to raise concerns until now. Is it possible that other employees have similar concerns as the complainant?
Avoiding and defending harassment claims
Employers may wish to be proactive and challenge the workplace culture. This is with a view to both creating an environment in which staff are more likely to come forward with concerns, as well as discouraging harassment from occurring in the first place. This might involve tightening up standards of behaviour, such as tackling bawdy banter.
Now may be the time to introduce or relaunch your bullying and harassment policy and to remind employees of your zero-tolerance approach. It is worth checking that appropriate staff training has been delivered. These steps should help create a positive working environment as well as establishing that you have taken reasonable steps to prevent workplace harassment, which can be used to defend harassment claims in the employment tribunal.
For a confidential discussionabout dealing with sexual harassment or other sensitive grievances, or indeed for employment-related issues generally, please contact Peggy Barnard on 01442 531021 or email peggy@barnardco.co.uk.
The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this article was published
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Summer holidays, ice creams, mojitos (my personal favourite), let's face it there are many reasons for losing track of employment law right now. However, do not fear, we have prepared a quick blog of summer 2022 latest developments in employment law. No doubt you will have it read before your ice cube has melted.
With temperatures set to hit a sweltering 33c this week, I think we can all agree that working in a sweaty office with no air-conditioning is totally unbearable. But what are the legalities when it comes to maximum working temperatures? What is the legal maximum working temperature? Unfortunately, it is a myth that there is a specific law setting a maximum working temperature. There is no such law dictating when it is too hot to work. In offices, or similar working environments, the temperature must just be reasonable – which can obviously be somewhat arguable! What is reasonable depends on the nature of the workplace and may be different for an office compared to a cold store or workshop. There are also other factors to consider which can be more significant than air temperature, for example humidity, air velocity and radiant temperature. What are employer’s obligations when it comes to extreme working temperatures? Employers should undertake risk assessments and must comply with health and safety legislation, which includes: Keeping the temperature at a comfortable level; Providing clean and fresh air. Our practical advice for employers to ensure their staff stay as cool and comfortable as possible is as follows:- Allow staff to take regular breaks; Consider allowing staff to work from home if the office is too hot; Relax any workplace dress code if necessary, to ensure staff can wear comfortable light-weight clothing; Provide fans or portable air conditioning units if there are no centralised systems; Ensure staff have access to drinking water; Consider flexible working hours, ie. starting work earlier when it is cooler and finishing before it gets too hot; Keep window blinds down; Get them an ice-cream! What can employees do if they are finding the workplace temperature uncomfortable? If employees are finding the working conditions unbearable due to high temperatures, they should first discuss their concerns with their line manager informally. If this does not resolve the issue, then they may wish to consider raising a formal grievance. We would always advise employees against simply walking out, as this could be considered an act of misconduct. For any further advice on the contents of this blog, please feel free to contact us on 01442 531021 or by e-mail: info@barnardwebb.co.uk . The contents of this blog are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this article was published. Readers should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances before acting on the basis of the information included in this blog.
Pregnancy and maternity discrimination was the fifth most common discrimination claim in 2020/21. The content of such claims include (but are not limited to) sham redundancies; offensive comments to pregnant employees; failure to implement flexible working options; and being overlooked for promotion. Businesses need to ensure they understand their legal obligations and the reasons why it is imperative women are supported by the business when they are pregnant, on maternity leave, or when they return to work. Employees need to understand their rights and entitlements so they can take action if discrimination occurs. We set out below some helpful guidance relating to pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace. When can pregnancy and maternity discrimination occur? Pregnancy and maternity discrimination occurs where an employer treats a woman unfavourably: because of her pregnancy or because of an illness suffered by her as a result of her pregnancy (during the protected period – see below). because she is on compulsory maternity leave. because she is exercising or seeking to exercise, or has exercised or sought to exercise, the right to ordinary or additional maternity leave. What is the Protected Period? Under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 10), the protected period is the period which starts when a woman’s pregnancy begins and ends. If the woman has the right to ordinary and additional maternity leave, the protected period will be at the end of the additional maternity leave period or (if earlier) when she returns to work after the pregnancy. If the woman does not have that right, the protected period ends at the period of two weeks beginning with the end of the pregnancy. Who is protected from pregnancy and maternity discrimination? A broad range of individuals are protected within the field of employment or occupation and vocational training. This includes employees, self-employed contractors, agency workers, partners and barristers. This means that although the right to statutory maternity leave only applies to employees, a wider class of individuals will benefit from the right not to suffer discrimination because of pregnancy or maternity. Is it possible for employers to dismiss employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave? As long as employers have valid reasons, follow thorough and fair procedures then it is potentially possible to dismiss employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave. However, we would strongly advise employers to seek appropriate legal advice prior to taking any such steps. Be mindful when dismissing an employee who is pregnant or on maternity leave that there are also separate statutory rules in the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 96) protecting employees from dismissal and detriment (except in relation to pay) where the principal reason is related to pregnancy or maternity leave. Dismissals for reasons connected with pregnancy, childbirth, or statutory maternity pay are automatically unfair under s99 ERA 1996 and employees bringing such claims do not need to have worked for the 2 year qualifying period required by “ordinary” unfair dismissal claims. When does an employer discriminate on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity leave? It is unlawful for an employer to: discriminate by treating a woman unfavourably during the protected period because of her pregnancy or because of an illness she has suffered as a result of her pregnancy; or discriminate by treating a woman unfavourably because she is on compulsory maternity leave or because she is exercising or seeking to exercise, or has exercised or sought to exercise, the right to ordinary (26 weeks) or additional (52 weeks) maternity leave; or victimise a job applicant or employee because they have made or intend to make a pregnancy and maternity discrimination complaint, or because they have done or intend to do other things in connection with the EqA 10. If one employee discriminates against another, the employer will be liable unless it has taken reasonable steps to prevent such conduct from taking place. The offending employee may also be liable. If a job applicant or employee succeeds in a claim for pregnancy and maternity discrimination, an employment tribunal will generally award compensation (including a sum for injury to feelings). Whilst case law has helped to benchmark awards for injury to feelings, there is no compensation cap on such awards so the cost of discriminating an employee or job applicant could be high. Can pregnancy discrimination ever be justified? No ; since pregnancy is a uniquely female condition, any adverse treatment of a women on the grounds of pregnancy is direct discrimination on the grounds of her gender. Such treatment can never be justified. For more information, please feel free to contact us on 01442 531021 or by email: info@barnardwebb.co.uk . The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changes since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.
Common questions for employment lawyers are; "what is wrongful dismissal?" and "what is the difference between wrongful and unfair dismissal?". We give you the answers below. What is wrongful dismissal? Wrongful dismissal is a dismissal that is in breach of an employee’s contract. Some examples of breach of contract that are involved in wrongful dismissal claims are: Breach of notice, whether: o expressed (such as not letting an employee serve their full contractual notice); or o implied (such as the implied term to provide an employee with a minimum statutory notice period). Termination of a fixed-term contract before it has expired. Breach of a contractual disciplinary or redundancy procedure. What is the difference between wrongful and unfair dismissal? Wrongful dismissal is a contractual right ; one that is set out in the contract of employment. Unfair dismissal is a statutory right; under the Employment Right Act 1996. The key difference therefore between wrongful and unfair dismissal is that wrongful dismissal is a breach of contract law by the employer, not statutory law. Whereas, an unfair dismissal claim arises if the employee has been dismissed and their employer does not have a potential fair reason for justifying the dismissal under section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Can an employee claim wrongful dismissal if they have worked for a short period of time? There is no requirement for an employee to have a set period of continuous service to pursue a wrongful dismissal claim. A wrongful dismissal claim is a day 1 right. Is there a time limit for raising a claim for wrongful dismissal? Wrongful dismissal claims must be brought at an employment tribunal within three months (less a day) from the date of the employee’s termination. However, an employee who is out of time to pursue a claim in the employment tribunal could still pursue a civil action as, in the civil court, an extended six-year limitation period applies. How much compensation can be claimed for Wrongful Dismissal? If an employer wrongfully dismisses their employee, they will be liable to pay damages to put them back in the position they would have been in had the contract been terminated fairly in accordance with its terms. Therefore, damages will reflect the net value of wages and any other contractual benefits to which the employee would have been entitled had they been allowed to work out their notice. The damages recoverable in an employment tribunal for wrongful dismissal is capped at a statutory maximum of £25,000. However, if the value of the employee’s claim is worth more, there is no such cap in the civil courts and they could pursue their claim there. How can Wrongful Dismissal claims be avoided? It is prudent to have a comprehensive employment contract and disciplinary policy which details termination provisions and to ensure that they are followed upon termination of employment. For more information, please feel free to contact us on 01442 531021 or by email: info@barnardwebb.co.uk . The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changes since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.
Recent statistics published by Scope UK – the disability equality charity - indicate there are an estimated 4.4 million people with a disability in employment. The TUC published survey results in June 2021, which showed that nearly one in three disabled workers say that they’ve been treated unfairly at work in the previous two years. Below we set out the key facts that both an employer and employee should know about disability discrimination in the workplace.
The UK abolished its ‘default’ retirement age in 2011, leaving workers free to retire at any time. Reports last year confirmed that employment tribunals have seen a 74% increase in age discrimination claims. So when can age discrimination occur and can it ever be justified?
Hiring a new member of staff is an exciting time for an employer. A prudent employer will make sure that they avoid any future misunderstandings or disagreements regarding employment terms with their latest recruit by providing details of their main conditions of employment. Employees want to start on the right foot and to know what is expected of them and providing detail of their main terms and conditions of employment, enables this to happen. Is an ‘employment contract’ necessary? An employer must give employees a document stating the main conditions of employment when they start work. This is known as a ‘written statement of employment particulars’ or a ‘section 1 statement’. This does not necessarily have to be an ‘employment contract’ but a good employment contract will clarify the conditions, rights, responsibilities, and duties of the employee whilst they are employed and is therefore highly recommended. Are employees entitled to an employment contract on the first day of employment? From 6 April 2020 employers need to provide a written statement of particulars to all workers (and not just employees). The statement needs to be included in one document (which could be a section 1 statement or an employment contract) and needs to be provided to workers from the day they start employment. What should an employment contract include? A section 1 statement or an employment contract should include: · the employer’s name · the employee or worker’s name · the start date · the date that ‘continuous employment’ (working for the same employer without a significant break) started · job title, or a brief description of the job · the employer’s address · the places or addresses where the employee or worker will work · pay, including how often and when · working hours, including which days the employee or worker must work and if and how their hours/days change · holiday and holiday pay, including an explanation of how its calculated if the employee or worker leaves · the amount of sick leave and pay · any other paid leave (e.g., statutory maternity, paternity, adoption leave) · any other benefits, including non-contractual benefits such as childcare vouchers or company car schemes · the notice period · how long the job is expected to last (if temporary or fixed term) · any probation period · if the employee will work abroad, and any terms that apply · training that must be completed by the employee or worker, including training the employer does not pay for. Other recommended clauses for employment contracts The following additional clauses are also recommended: · confidentiality · company property · data protection · post termination obligations (e.g., restrictive covenants) · social media · disciplinary & grievance Can an employment contract be breached? It is essential for employers to have a comprehensive employment contract to avoid acting in breach of contract. For example, if an employer places an employee on garden leave but there is no contractual term giving them that right, then they will be acting unlawfully by asking them to remain at home following their resignation. Alternatively, an employer may want a resigning employee to leave with immediate effect but will be acting unlawfully unless the employment contract contains a clause relating to pay in lieu of notice (PILON). Whether you are an employer or an employee the team at Barnard & Webb can help you with your employment contract. For more information, please feel free to contact us on 01442 531021 or by email: info@barnardwebb.co.uk . The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changes since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.
Calls to ban zero hours contracts have been renewed after research found a third of workers are given less than a week’s notice of their shifts. Trade unions criticise the increased use of zero hours contracts as a means of abusing vulnerable, low-income workers, providing no job security, rights or guaranteed income. On the other hand, businesses like the flexibility that zero hours contracts can bring to the job market. In times of economic instability, the zero hours contract has allowed businesses to offer jobs on flexible terms which suit many individuals as well as the business. ONS statistics on Zero Hour Contracts The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects statistics on zero hour contracts and provided the following information about the types of people working on a zero hours contract: The majority are women (54.7% compared with 46.8% of those not working on a zero hours contract). They are more likely to be at the youngest end of the age range (36.0% of people are aged 16 to 24 compared with 11.4% of people not working on a zero hours contract). A large proportion are part-time workers (66.0% compared with 25.3% of those not working on a zero hours contract). Analysis by the TUC of the Labour Force Survey results released by the ONS on 15 February 2022 revealed that a higher proportion of black and ethnic minority workers are engaged on zero hours workers than white workers and repeats its call for zero hours contracts to be banned. So, what is a Zero hours contract and what are the parties obligations when entering into one? What is a "zero hours contract"? "Zero hours contract" is not a legal term. A zero hours contract is one type of contract between a business and a casual worker where the worker is engaged on an ad hoc basis with no guarantee of work from the business. What are the rules when entering into a zero hour contract? A zero hours contract means that the employer does not have to give the worker any minimum working hours and the worker does not have to take any work offered. Is the individual named in the Zero Hours Contract always a ‘worker’? As employees are entitled to greater statutory rights and protections compared to workers it is necessary to establish the employment status of an individual working under a zero hours contract. Usually, an individual working under a zero hours contract is considered to be a worker, and most businesses operate on that basis. Some businesses, however, use them on the basis that they are engaging self-employed contractors. However, this sometimes doesn't reflect the reality of the working relationship between the parties. Provided they are either workers or employees, those working under zero hours contracts are entitled to the national minimum wage (NMW) and paid holiday and rest breaks under the Working Time Regulations 1998. They are also protected against discrimination. What amount of paid holiday will a worker receive? All workers are entitled to holiday pay. People working zero hour contracts are entitled to the same annual leave as any other employee, however it is accrued in relation to the amount of time they work. A person who works full-time is legally entitled to annual leave of 5.6 weeks (including bank holidays). Workers on zero hour contracts accrue annual leave from the first day of work, just like a normal full-time employee. Workers on zero hour contracts may want to keep track of their hours and make sure they get the correct amount of annual leave and holiday pay they are entitled to. Are workers on Zero Hour Contracts entitled to rest breaks? Yes. Workers and employees on zero hour contracts are entitled to one uninterrupted rest break for twenty minutes for every six hours they work. Do workers on Zero Hour Contracts have the right to request a stable contract? An independent review was carried out by Matthew Taylor and resulted in the Good Work Review. This review investigated modern ways of working, including the use of zero hours contracts. Subsequently, the government’s ‘Good Work Plan’ was released in December 2018 and confirmed that legislation will be introduced to create a new right for all workers to request a more predictable and stable contract. The worker can decide whether they wish to make a request for a fixed working pattern once they reach 26 weeks’ continuous service with the organisation. It has not yet been confirmed when this new right will come into force. For more information on any of the above, please feel free to contact us on 01442 531021 or by email: info@barnardwebb.co.uk . The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changes since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.