Sexual harassment law in; Evidence from abroad; Cladding clarifications; Court lists to look odder; FPR changes; The perils of statement drafting; And going to court!
SHIFT TO PREVENTION
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 came into force in England, Wales and Scotland on 26 October 2024 (see ‘Civil way’, 173 NLJ 8049, p17). The law on sexual harassment in the workplace is strengthened but not as far as had been intended. A duty is now on the employer to take reasonable steps to prevent it and a compensation uplift if a breach.
AROUND THE WORLD FOR WITNESSES
The Foreign Office has updated its guidance on taking and voluntarily giving video evidence from abroad in UK court and tribunal cases without losing the feed or being executed or banged up. The position in each country of which it has heard is summarised. Permission for giving evidence from France has not been forthcoming. Ditto Greece, Cambodia, Cuba and Egypt, but work is ongoing in seeking to obtain agreement
