New laws to protect workers a step closer

PROPOSALS to protect service industry staff and NHS workers from harassment by customers or clients have cleared their first step to becoming law.

The Commons backed legislation aimed at putting the onus on employers to protect their workers from harassment by third parties, such as customers.

Bath Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse told the Commons: “An unacceptable number of nurses, paramedics, people who were keyworkers during the pandemic, and everyone in between are being subject to a form of harassment which causes a variety of harms, including psychological, physical and economic harm.

“Employers should be required both morally and legally to take all reasonable steps to stop sexual harassment from occurring. The fact that the law of this country does not compel them to do this is a concern.”

Under the MP’s Worker Protection (Amendment of

Our current laws mean employers do not know how to respond to cases appropriately WERA HOBHOUSE

Equality Act 2010) Bill, if a member of staff is harassed at work by a customer or client, their employer would be considered responsible for the action if they fail to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent it.

Ms Hobhouse added: “For too long the onus for challenging sexual harassment has been on individuals. Our current laws mean employers do not know how to respond to cases appropriately and leaves people who have encountered traumatic experiences unsupported.

“Introducing a standalone preventative duty for employers will shift the responsibility from individuals to the institution. It will prevent harassment and protect victims and it will drive a change to the culture around victim blaming.”

Cabinet Office minister Katherine Fletcher said the Government was “very pleased to both share and support this Bill”.

She added: “While there is already a robust legal framework against workplace harassment in the Equality Act 2010, the measures contained here provide an important strengthening of these protections and a renewed focus on prevention which we will hope lead to a reduction in workplace harassment across the country.”

The Bill received an unopposed second reading and will undergo further scrutiny by MPs.