New EOC guidance for employers and employees

The Equal Opportunities Commission estimates that the majority of women (and nearly 10% of men) have experienced some form of sexual harassment at work. Only 5% of these ever make a formal complaint, and of those who do, only 10% get as far as a tribunal hearing.   The majority of tribunal cases involve young women in low paid jobs who have been employed for less than a year. In a third of cases the harasser was a director or the owner of the organisation, and in a further third of cases it was the victim's immediate manager. 

Employers should protect against such claims by having a clear, published policy against sexual harassment which spells out what kind of behaviour is unacceptable and ensures employees know how to raise concerns and feel confident in doing so.  The latest report can be found on the EOC's website.

This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.