Two business websites are calling for the introduction of new sexual harassment rules, due to come into force on 6 April, to be delayed.
These are the rules that will make employers duty bound to protect staff from being sexually harassed by customers or the public. The tabloids have helpfully noted that this means drinkers who call barmaids 'love' on a regular basis could land their local pub in a tribunal.
Now BusinessZone.co.uk and HRZone.co.uk have launched a petition on the Downing Street website calling on the government to delay the introduction of the changes until at least October to give businesses time to prepare.
The campaign is also being supported, of course, by a group on social networking site Facebook.
The petition currently boasts a whopping 37 signatures, including a Jenni Frost (didn't she used to be in Atomic Kitten?) and J Richards who worries he might be condoning bad behaviour.
Campaigners claim that the regulations were only laid down in Parliament two weeks ago and the changes have received little publicity. With the rules coming into force on Sunday, businesses have had a very limited time to prepare. The government has estimated it will cost small firms £10m to comply.
Companies are being told by ministers to visit the Business Link website for advice on regulatory compliance but no information on the sexual harassment rules is currently published on the site.
I fear this campaign may be doomed to fail, what with there being three days left before the new laws come into force. Still, can't blame them for trying, and we await with bated breath for the first barmaid/sexual harassment case to come to tribunal later this year...
UPDATE: Guidance has now been published and businesses can get advice from the BusinessLink website
Comments (1)
Many thanks for your support of our petition. I can now report that last night Business Link published some information on their website. Coincidence? I don't think so!
Posted by Dan Martin | April 3, 2008 2:03 PM
Posted on April 3, 2008 14:03