From 26 October 2024, the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 will require employers to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. This duty is wide ranging and goes beyond merely having policies and procedures in place. Our new toolkit helps to prepare employers to meet these new obligations.
To support you navigate this new change, we have two options available for you to choose from:
Option 1:
Discussion with a member of the Birketts Employment Team to discuss how the changes to sexual harassment legislation impacts your organisation
A template risk assessment for you to tailor and apply to all parts of your organisation and standard template prevention of sexual harassment policy
Fixed fee – £750 plus VAT
Option 2:
Option 1 and following the risk assessment being completed:
A concise report containing an explanation of your organisation’s obligations under the new duty, steps you should take now, pointers for handling complaints and recommendations.
Fixed fee – £2500 plus VAT
Preventing Sexual Harassment Training
In addition to the tool kit, our specialist employment law trainers can provide training on the new duty to your staff and senior managers and our HR Consultancy service can help support the culture change.
Training on the new duty to prevent sexual harassment (Senior Leaders & Senior Managers) – 2 hours
- Understanding the workplace situations which would meet the current definition of sexual harassment: with a focus on some less discussed examples e.g. work whatsapp chats, unwanted discussions about sex lives, sexual rumours etc.
- Understanding how the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act strengthens employer’s obligations.
- Considering how employers should be preparing for this change in light of the EHRC guidance: particularly what risk assessing your workplace means.
- A consideration of how the new duty will impact upon your sector – considering a health and safety style approach to risks of harassment.
- Consideration of how managers will have to handle complaints – tying in with your organisation’s procedures.
- A case study on a nuanced sexual harassment scenario – e.g. someone being treated poorly after rebuffing a sexual advance (with a particular focus on how silence can be just as damaging here).
This can be delivered in person (which is our preference given the nature of the topic and the level of interaction we like to generate). However, it can also be delivered remotely via Teams (our trainers are adept at generating an in-person style discussion online).
Workshops for staff on preventing workplace sexual harassment (in light of the new duty) – 60-90 minutes
- Understanding the legal definition of sexual harassment – including a focus on some less well understood examples e.g. work whatsapp chats, unwanted discussions about sex lives, sexual rumours etc.
- Understanding when to report instances of sexual harassment and the process which will be followed by your organisation.
- A case study on a nuanced sexual harassment scenario – someone being treated poorly after rebuffing a sexual advance (with a particular focus on how silence can be just as damaging here).
- An introduction to bystander intervention.
Again in person and online options are available in respect of these workshop sessions.
Please speak to a member of the Birketts Employment Team or email [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to discuss the toolkit in more detail.
Key Contacts
