All UK employers will need to take active steps to protect their staff from sexual harassment by colleagues or clients under new guidance published on Thursday by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The preventive duty, set out in legislation that will take effect next month, means employers could face enforcement action by the EHRC or higher penalties at employment tribunals if they fail to take “reasonable steps” in line with their resources and the risks their workers face.
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, the EHRC’s chair, said sexual harassment remained “widespread and often under-reported”, adding that the watchdog would be monitoring compliance and would “not hesitate to take enforcement action where necessary”.