{"id":241159,"date":"2024-10-11T13:59:47","date_gmt":"2024-10-11T13:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/?p=241159"},"modified":"2024-10-11T13:59:47","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T13:59:47","slug":"employers-must-protect-workers-from-sexual-harassment-in-new-employment-bill-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/employers-must-protect-workers-from-sexual-harassment-in-new-employment-bill-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Employers must protect workers from sexual harassment in new employment bill | Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Employers must protect their workers from sexual harassment \u2013 including from customers and clients \u2013 under the government\u2019s sweeping new employment rights bill.<\/p>\n

The new obligation is part of a series of measures published in Thursday\u2019s landmark employment bill, which Labour<\/a> had promised to lay before parliament within 100 days.<\/p>\n

The bill, which is expected to take up to two years to fully implement after lengthy consultations, will give new rights to millions of workers including the right to sue their employer for unfair dismissal without waiting for two years of employment.<\/p>\n

But the new bill also contains a slew of new protections at work, including toughened maternity and pregnancy discrimination and an obligation for employers to draw up menopause action plans.<\/p>\n

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Among the measures that have been fleshed out for the first time are a new protection from third-party harassment \u2013 which employers must take \u201creasonable steps\u201d to prevent \u2013 such as protecting bartenders from harassment by pub customers.<\/p>\n

It will mean employers will have to anticipate where such harassment may occur and put in place action plans to protect the workforce. It is likely to include reporting channels and fresh complaints procedures, as well as risk assessments. It could also include more direct communication with customers and clients about the expectations in the workplace.<\/p>\n

The bill, which the government said would be the biggest upgrade of workers\u2019 rights in generations, gives new rights from day one of employment including entitlement to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave.<\/p>\n

It makes flexible working the default and bans most zero-hours contracts, though employees can request one, and abolishes fire-and-rehire practices \u2013 though critics said there were significant loopholes for employers to claim exceptional circumstances in order to downgrade terms and conditions.<\/p>\n

It will also establish a new enforcement body \u2013 the Fair Work Agency \u2013 as a single point for whistleblowers, to conduct inspections and issue fines. It will also abolish much of the Conservative government\u2019s anti-trade union laws.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the government only expects to begin consulting on these reforms in 2025, and the majority of reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026. Reforms of unfair dismissal will take even longer: no sooner than autumn 2026.<\/p>\n

Trade unions have broadly welcomed the changes, which the TUC called a \u201cseismic shift\u201d. But the Federation of Small Businesses said the measures would cost jobs and called the introduction of the bill \u201cchaotic\u201d. The CBI, however, said the government deserved credit \u201cfor its willingness to engage with businesses and unions on how to make a success of the plan to make work pay\u201d.<\/p>\n

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