Sexual Harassment Policy

Merit Education

Sexual Harassment Policy

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Merit Education is committed to ensuring that all its staff and applicants are treated with dignity and respect and treat others in the same way. We believe that all staff and applicants have the right to work in an environment which is free from any form of harassment, including sexual harassment.

 

Merit Education has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment.

 

Merit Education is committed to ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to prevent sexual harassment to all employees, workers, and applicants. This policy will be reviewed and updated from time to time to ensure Merit Education’s compliance with its duties under the Equality Act 2010 as amended by the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to prevent sexual harassment.

 

Harassment

 

Under the Act, harassment is defined as unwanted conduct that relates to a protected characteristic which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual, including conduct of a sexual nature.

 

Sexual Harassment

 

In accordance with the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, Education World Ltd is committed to providing a work environment free from unlawful sexual harassment. 

 

1.1     Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which has the purpose or the effect of:

 

1.1.1  Violating the victim’s dignity; or

 

1.1.2  Creating an environment that is intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive to the victim. 

 

1.2     An individual of any gender may be the victim of sexual harassment.

 

1.3     Whilst not an exhaustive list, forms of sexual harassment can include:

 

1.3.1  Slurs or unwanted sexual advances;

 

1.3.2  Visual conduct such as derogatory or sexually oriented posters;

 

1.3.3  Physical conduct such as assault, unwanted touching, or any interference because of sex, race, or any other protected characteristic basis;

 

1.3.4  Threats and demands to submit sexual requests as a condition of continued employment or to avoid some other loss, and offers of employment benefits in return for sexual favours;

 

1.3.5  Sexual comments or jokes;

 

1.3.6  Unwelcome touching, hugging, massaging, or kissing.

 

1.4     If an individual believes that they have been sexually harassed, they  should make an immediate report to Merit Education’s HR representative (paul@meriteducation.co.uk) followed by  a written complaint as soon as possible after the incident. The details of the complaint should include: 

 

1.4.1  Details of the incident

 

1.4.2  Name(s) of the individual(s) involved.

 

1.4.3  Name(s) of any witness(es)

 

1.5     Merit Education will undertake a thorough investigation of the allegations. If it is concluded that harassment has occurred, remedial action will be taken.

 

1.6     Where an incident/complaint of sexual harassment relates to a temporary agency worker Merit Education will not carry out instructions from a hirer/and/or intermediary which it considers will amount to sexual harassment and victimisation.

 

1.7     Merit Education will take reasonable steps to safeguard temporary workers it supplies and internal members of staff from harassment.

 

1.8     Merit Education will ensure that all staff are given training on sexual harassment, and this is monitored and done on a regular basis. Training will be provided to all staff on sexual harassment.

 

1.9     Merit Education will carry out due diligence checks on hirers/intermediaries who we engage in the supply of temporary agency workers to ensure that they are taking reasonable steps to carry out their duties as employers under the Equality 2010.

 

2        All employees and workers will be expected to comply with Merit Education policy on sexual harassment in the workplace. Any breach of such a policy will lead to appropriate disciplinary action.

 

3         Employees who Merit Education finds to be responsible for sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary procedures and the sanction may include termination.

 

4         Temporary workers who Merit Education finds to be responsible for sexual harassment will be subject to Merit Education’s complaints procedure even where such sexual harassment involves individuals who are not engaged by Merit Education.

 

Complaints and monitoring process

 

Merit Education has procedures for monitoring compliance with this policy and for dealing with complaints of sexual harassment in place. Any complaint will be investigated fully. 

 

This policy will be regularly reviewed.