Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (Act) gives employees the right to form unions, bargain collectively and to “engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of … mutual aid or protection”. Speaking out about conditions of employment on behalf of a group of employees would fall within this protection. And, section 8
harassment
Employer Feedback Wanted: New York To Update its Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy
The State of New York is looking to strengthen its existing laws concerning the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace. To do so, the Department of Labor (DOL) is calling on New Yorkers to submit their feedback, which may be provided online before September 20, 2022.
Currently, employers in New York are required to…
Calling a man “bald” can amount to harassment related to sex
The Employment Tribunal (ET) has found that an employee that was called “a bald ****” by a fellow male colleague was harassed based on his sex.
The Claimant presented a number of other claims against the Respondent, including unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, victimisation and health and safety detriments; however, this post focuses on…
Government introduces legislative changes following the Respect@Work report
On 24 June 2021, the Federal Government introduced the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendments Bill 2021 (Cth) (Bill) into the Senate. The Bill amends both the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (SDA) and the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FWA) in response to the Respect@Work…
AHRC Report: ASX200 companies and sexual harassment
On 17 June 2021, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released the “Equality across the board: Investing in workplaces that work for everyone (2021)” report (AHRC Report). The report collates survey and interview data from 118 ASX200 listed companies to portray how these companies are currently combatting the issue…
“Stale” and “ineffective” training is insufficient to establish the reasonable steps defence
A recent decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in Allay (UK) Limited v Mr S Gehlen provides useful guidance to employers seeking to rely on the “reasonable steps” defence to a claim of discrimination, harassment or victimisation.
An employer can be liable for acts of discrimination, harassment and victimisation carried out by its employees…
Allégations de harcèlement sexuel sur les réseaux sociaux au Québec : ce que les employeurs doivent savoir
Au courant des dernières semaines, nous avons pu assister à de nombreuses dénonciations publiées sur les médias sociaux eu égard à des allégations de harcèlement sexuel, qu’elles soient publiées à visage découvert ou bien de manière anonyme.
Une question qui se pose pour un employeur est de déterminer comment gérer de telles allégations de nature…
This is not a locker room: Do not publicly criticize your employees
Toronto Raptors head coach recently made headlines for unfiltered comments about his team members. This season, he has publicly called out a number of them for their poor performances. Some have commended him for giving team members the motivation they needed to perform better – by providing them with “tough love” instead of sugar-coating the…
France: Le harcèlement sexuel susceptible d’être exclu en cas d’attitude ambigüe de la victime
Le harcèlement sexuel est défini, dans le Code du travail, par « des propos ou comportements à connotation sexuelle répétés qui soit portent atteinte à [la] dignité [du salarié] en raison de leur caractère dégradant ou humiliant, soit créent à son encontre une situation intimidante, hostile ou offensante ».
Le Code du travail prévoit…
France: Provocative acts do not necessarily fall within the scope of sexual harassment if the victim’s behaviour is ambiguous
The French employment Code defines sexual harassment as “repeated sexual comments or conduct that either violate the [employee’s] dignity because of their degrading or humiliating nature or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation against the employee“.
The French employment Code also assimilates to sexual harassment “any form of serious pressure, even…