New duty for ALL councils - FREE webinar now available to brief on statutory requirements regarding Sexual Harassment

October 2024 sees the introduction of new statutory obligations for Councils to prevent sexual harassment of their Employees. This includes the need to update policies and procedures, consult with staff, conduct essential training for Employees and Councillors, and take 'reasonable steps' to protect the Council from claims of Harassment at an Employment Tribunal.

Unfortunately this isn't simply a "what if" paper based exercise, it has happened, and it has happened locally, at great financial cost.

To enable Councils to prepare and work within these new entitlements, and as part of our drive towards making more of our webinars available 24/7. see below for a video presentation providing members with the information they need to know to avoid falling foul of the law.

You can access the webinar here; video1279342309.mp4

This duty needs to be carefully, and contrary to pub-talk, sexual discrimination covers all genders.

As the new statutory requirements regarding Sexual Harassment come into effect, it is worth mentioning the Employment Appeal Tribunal that recently extended protection from harassment to males with hair issues.

In Finn v British Bung Manufacturing Co, an Employee was called a "Bald xxx", by a colleague at a company where "industrial language" was described as common place.

The Employee resigned and claimed Constructive Dismissal and Sexual Harassment.

In the opinion of both the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal, the comment violated the Employee's dignity and created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offence environment. As baldness is predominantly a male issue, the comment was linked to gender, making it an act of Sexual Harassment.

Further resources are available through NALC: Sexual harassment in the workplace