Westminster’s Women and Equalities Committee has now produced its report on sexual harassment in the workplace after a six-month investigation.

The report was initiated earlier this year in light of widespread reports of instances of sexual harassment in the workplace highlighted by the high-profile allegations against Harvey Weinstein and the follow-on #metoo campaign.

The shocking verdict of the Committee is that sexual harassment is “widespread and commonplace” in British workplaces with groping, touching and sexual assault all found to be part of the culture of British industry. The report goes further by putting the blame on the Government, employers and regulators for failing to tackle the troubling problem.

Conservative MP, Maria Miller, who chaired the reporting Committee said: “Government, regulators and employers have been dodging their responsibilities for far too long.” She compared the lack of action taken to prevent sexual harassment with the high focus given to protecting personal data and anti-money laundering measures and urged the Government to put the same emphasis on confronting the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace.

In considering the prevalent problem, the report calls for a host of measures and in particular focuses on five priority areas in an attempt to change workplace cultures and put overcoming sexual harassment at the top of the agenda:

It is clear that the recommendations are intended as a holistic and practical approach to addressing this common and concerning problem. Of course, the suggested changes are some way away from becoming law, should they ever be taken forward at all by the government, but many will find it encouraging that work is being done to ensure that this topic remains top of the employment law agenda in 2018.

Contact MSHB Employment Lawyers Glasgow Today

Whether you are an employee experiencing problems in the workplace or an employer seeking to tighten workplace policies, get in touch with our team of employment lawyers on 01412211919 or fill out our online enquiry form.