Harassment and Bullying Policy

This Harassment and Bullying Policy has been written in accordance with current best practice and provides employees with assurance that the company is committed to preventing harassment, victimisation and bullying in the workplace. It includes advice on how to confront harassment, through both informal steps and a formal procedure.

This document makes specific reference to all unlawful grounds for discrimination and harassment under the Equality Act 2010, including sex, age, race, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, sexual orientation and disability. 

Since October 2024, following the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, employers have been legally required to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees in the course of their employment. Where an employment tribunal upholds a sexual harassment claim against an employer and orders it to pay compensation, the tribunal must consider whether the employer has also breached its duty to prevent sexual harassment and, if it has, may increase the compensation by up to 25%. From 30 October 2026, following the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees in the course of their employment, and are also liable for harassment (as defined in the Equality Act 2010, so not only sexual harassment) of their employees by third parties, such as customers or clients, in the course of their employment unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it. To help meet the duty to prevent sexual harassment, download the separate Prevention of Sexual Harassment Policy.

Guidance Notes are also available to download to assist both Employers and Employees, providing guidelines on how to respond to complaints/reports of harassment and bullying.

This policy sets out the company’s commitment to protect its staff from bullying and harassment and provides an indicative list of the types of behaviour that it will not accept. This policy also covers third party harassment e.g. harassment by a client or visitor. This Harassment and Bullying Policy contains the following sections:

1. Policy Statement 
2. Harassment and Bullying
3. Unlawful Grounds of Harassment or Bullying 
4. Reporting Harassment 
5. Witnessing Victimisation, Bullying or Harassment
6. Third party harassment
7. Procedure for Complaints 
8. Victimisation
9. Consequences of Breach 
10. Responsibilities of Employees and Managers 
11. Training
12. Support and Advice 
13. Confidentiality

Harassment and Bullying Policy is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.