Bullying and harassment

Employers have a duty to provide a safe and healthy working environment. This includes protection from bullying and harassment.

Common law rights to protection against bullying

Under the common law, employers may be liable for psychiatric or psychological damage caused by bullying or harassment at work. The discussion above on psychiatric injury caused by work-related stress applies equally here.

Protection from harassment under the Equality Act 2010

Workers may have a claim for harassment, where the behaviour is as a result of one of the characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010), namely sex, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, race, religion or belief, age, marriage and civil partnership.