Downing Street is currently being rocked by an allegation of a culture of bullying after the charity, The National Bullying Helpline, made public the fact they have received telephone calls and emails from staff at Number 10.
The founder of the charity, Christine Pratt, has even admitted that she has personally received an email from someone alleging they have an issue with Gordon Brown himself.
From a legal perspective, bullying is a form of harassment and victims of harassment at work now have many more remedies available to them than a few years ago. Employees who are bullied at work can potentially make claims to an employment tribunal for harassment based on sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. Employers can also be found liable under criminal legislation such as the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 in certain circumstances.
From the employer’s point of view, preventing bullying in the workplace will reduce the risk of increased illness, absenteeism and poor performance which can of course lead to the loss of revenue. The fact that allegations of bullying inside Number 10 have been made public is likely to highlight the issue in businesses across the United Kingdom.
Paul Burton, employment solicitor at Frettens, comments: “We have seen a recent increase in clients coming to us asking what they can do to defend claims of bullying by members of staff. Often it is a case of damage limitation by this stage. Employers should ensure that they have policies in place to train their staff about bullying in the workplace and dealing with it if it does occur. They should also have robust disciplinary procedures to deal with a bully in the unfortunate event that it does happen.”
The specialist Employment Law team at Frettens can assist employees or employers with any queries and advice on bullying and harassment in the workplace, whether it is assisting an individual who feels they are being bullied at work or ensuring that your business has the right policies and procedures in place to tackle the problem.
Frettens provide a full range of specialised legal services to private and commercial clients, with a modern, common sense approach.
www.frettens.co.uk