Bullying and harassment

Harassment

Under the Equality Act 2010, harassment is unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic (such as race, sex, disability or age) that violates your dignity, or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for you. Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature with the same effect.

Your employer’s duties

• Employers must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers.
• From 30 October 2026 this becomes a duty to take all reasonable steps.
• From 30 October 2026 employers can also be responsible for harassment by third parties, such as customers or clients, if they fail to take all reasonable steps to prevent it.

Bullying

Bullying is not itself defined in employment law. If it is linked to a protected characteristic it may be harassment or discrimination. If not, you can still raise a grievance, and serious bullying may break your employer’s duty of trust and confidence.

What you can do

1. Log each incident as soon as you can: what was said or done, who saw it, and how it affected you.
2. If you feel able to, tell the person their behaviour is unwanted, or ask someone to do it for you.
3. Raise it with your manager or HR, informally or as a formal grievance.
4. Look after your health. Talk to your GP if it is affecting you.

Read next

• Raising a grievance
• Whistleblowing
• Constructive dismissal