15/11/2024
Blog by Alden Henderson, Director of Advice and Compliance, Equality Commission NI
With the festive season in full swing, with it comes the round of work dos and Christmas parties.
While a Christmas party is great way to celebrate with colleagues, it’s important to remember that, under equality and employment law, it’s still considered part of the workplace. This means employers can be held liable for staff behaviour during these events, whether they take place on the premises or elsewhere. Policies on harassment, bullying, and equality still apply.
Sexual harassment, in particular, remains a serious issue at work-related events. Recent cases we supported highlight the consequences of employers failing in this duty. For example, Shirley Lyons was awarded almost £19,000 after her sexual harassment case following her Christmas work party. Fernanda Hermosilla settled her sexual harassment case against a colleague for £21,000 and against her employer for £15,000, following events at her work Christmas event.
Read the full blog article