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06 October 2023 / Thomas Beale
Issue: 8043 / Categories: Features , Employment , Harassment
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Workplace harassment & bullying: finding a way through

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Thomas Beale sets out the legal routes available to tackling bullying & harassment in the workplace
  • Steps are being taken to establish more robust mechanisms for employees to challenge bullying and/or harassment.

In recent months we have sadly seen a surge in prominent cases highlighting workplace bullying and harassment, spanning notable businesses including the CBI and McDonald’s, and famous individuals such as Kevin Spacey and Ellen DeGeneres. Unfortunately this is an issue which seems to becoming more prevalent. Partly, one hopes, more people feel empowered to come forward due to the brighter spotlight being shone on these issues. Often, taking legal action is not just a choice but a necessity as, in many of my cases, claimants are suffering from significant physiological harm due to a manager or colleague’s behaviour, which impacts all aspects of their lives—they struggle to carry on working and relationships can break down.

Tribunals

Having decided to take legal action, you’ll know that for many claimants, the employment tribunal is often the natural

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Laytons ETL—Maximilian Kraitt

Laytons ETL—Maximilian Kraitt

Commercial firm strengthens real estate disputes team with associate hire

Switalskis—three appointments

Switalskis—three appointments

Firm appoints three directors to board

Browne Jacobson—seven promotions

Browne Jacobson—seven promotions

Six promoted to partner and one to legal director across UK and Ireland offices

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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