The approval of the Worker Protection Bill, which aims to provide increased protection for workers against sexual harassment in the workplace. Introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, the law places a duty on employers to prevent harassment rather than relying solely on employees to report incidents.
However, the bill was modified after facing opposition in the House of Lords, with concerns that it could expose employers to costly lawsuits. To reach a compromise and pass the bill, a section was removed, making employers liable for harassment by third parties (e.g., customers or suppliers). Additionally, the wording was changed, replacing "all reasonable steps" with "reasonable steps," giving employers more flexibility in preventing harassment.
The bill also includes a provision for a 25% increase in compensation for sexual harassment cases where employers failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it. Despite compromises, some MPs expressed opposition to the law, while others supported it, emphasizing the importance of addressing workplace sexual harassment.
The bill has been approved in both the House of Commons and Lords and will become law upon receiving royal assent.