The Worker Protection Bill will make it a legal requirement for firms to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent their staff from being abused by third parties such as customers, contractors and suppliers.
A separate clause would put a duty on bosses to protect staff from sexual harassment.
It means employees could take legal action against their employers if they fail to do so and may be entitled to additional compensation.
The Amendment to the Equality Act 2010 has already made it through several House of Commons sittings and was waved through without a vote on 31 March.
Michael Kill CEO NTIA Says:
“The proposed change in law under the Worker Protection Bill could have some unforeseen consequences for businesses within the sector”
“Employers already do a considerable amount to protect their workforce, and as an industry we strive towards creating safer spaces for people to work.”
“Whilst we see some value in components of this bill, the scope and detail will have to be scrutinised to ensure the interpretation by all parties is clear, and we are not confronted with ambiguity further down the line.”
