On 21 October 2024, ACAS published updated Guidance: Sexual harassment with amendments reflecting the new employer duty under the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment (Press Release). The Guidance includes possible considerations for deciding what steps are reasonable for an organisation to take as well as examples of such steps. The Act's substantive provisions come into force on 26 October 2024 (see FC Feature 26 September 2024).
The government has separately included provisions in its Employment Rights Bill to strengthen the obligation such that employers must take all reasonable steps to fulfil the duty. The Bill also includes a new obligation on employers not to permit harassment of employees by third parties and the extension of whistleblowing protections to allegations relating to sexual harassment. For an overview of the wide-ranging employment law reform proposals contained in the Bill, see FC Feature 10 October 2024.
For further information about protection from harassment related to sex in the workplace, see Sex/Harassment related to sex and for protection against workplace harassment generally, see Discrimination: Overview/Harassment.
First published on the Corporate News Service on 25 October 2024.
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