Latest news with #EmploymentRightsAct
The Herald Scotland
12-08-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scots think tank backs plans to ban NDAs in sexual harassment cases
She said: 'One of the main problems women in the workplace face is that sexual harassment has been normalised to the point of invisibility, and is often dismissed and ignored. "That creates barriers to reporting. Lots of surveys have shown that sexual harassment is underreported, that's often because people lack confidence in the reporting procedure. 'Women constantly talk about fearing what would happen to them reputationally if they speak out. They could be victimised and lose their career. Women see other people reporting sexual harassment and nothing happens." Anna Ritchie Allan is CEO of Close the Gap. (Image: Supplied) Allan's claims are backed up by research from Unite the Union. A nationwide survey of more than 1000 members found that 46% of women reported unwanted flirting or sexual remarks from colleagues, while almost 10% of women had been sexually assaulted at work. 52% said they had been the recipient of sexually offensive jokes, and 38% of respondents claimed they had been touched inappropriately. However, three-quarters of respondents said they had not reported the incidents to superiors. In July, the government added an amendment to the Employment Rights Act which would ban the use of non-disclosure agreements that are used to silence employees from speaking out against sexual harassment or abuse. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said at the time: 'We have heard the calls from victims of harassment and discrimination to end the misuse of NDAs. 'It is time we stamped this practice out – and this government is taking action to make that happen. The Employment Rights Bill will ban any NDA used for this purpose, so that no one is forced to suffer in silence.' Allan strongly supports the legislation, which she said will 'allow the law to catch up'. 'Currently, there is very little case law about sexual harassment and few cases make it to tribunal. This is mainly because of non-disclosure agreements. 'The push against non-disclosure agreements came off the back of the Me Too movement. NDAs had been widely used to pay women who had encountered sexual misconduct at work.' Allan pointed to the case of Mohammed Al-Fayed, the wealthy Egyptian businessman who owned Harrods and Fulham FC. After Al-Fayed's death in 2023, dozens of women spoke out, accusing the billionaire of sexual harassment and assault. Disgraced billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed has been accused of sexual misconduct from dozens of women. Lawyers acting on behalf of the women called on Harrods to reveal how many people had been silenced by Al-Fayed after being coerced into signing NDAs in exchange for money. The department store said they did not plan to enforce any agreements signed under Al-Fayed's ownership. Allan said: 'There's been a campaign run to influence Labour and it is quite significant that they have acted. 'It speaks to the power imbalance of those who have money to pay off women who they have abused.' Indeed, a wider point about the power dynamics of abuse can be made, Allan said, noting: 'Women who are minorities are more likely to experience sexual harassment. Bullying and harassment is not seen as a gendered phenomenon. There is a lack of awareness and it is difficult to challenge, so there needs to be strong leadership signalling it will not be tolerated 'A lot of women in public sector jobs have to deal with third party harassment from clients and service users. We need to make sure that the liability for this is on employers, who must make sure women are safe at work. 'Sexual harassment is not seen as a health and safety issue. It should be seen as a workplace injury, not just as an equality issue.' Angela Rayner has announced proposed changes to the law. There are a number of problems with current sexual harassment safeguarding, Allan said. 'First, sexual harassment is not very well understood. Unwelcome jokes or comments of a sexual nature, as well as inappropriate touching and shoulder rubs are all issues. People can often be nervous to report this to line managers. 'Employers need to have a stand alone sexual harassment policy.' That is why Close the Gap is working with employers to provide training to line managers and staff on how to combat harassment in the workplace. Allan added: 'We piloted the programme in local government, and then expanded to the NHS. Now, we have accredited 18 employers, with another 17 working towards accreditation. 40 others engage with us around best practice.' Read more: 'Urgent action needed': Education Secretary under pressure over pupil sex harassment Ten per cent of Scottish women 'sexually assaulted at work' Analysis: Why are women in Scottish politics still facing hurdles in 2025? Campaigners have also praised the decision to include the provision in the bill, which is currently being considered in the House of Lords after passing its third reading in the House of Commons last March. Zelda Perkins, Founder of the campaign Can't Buy My Silence UK, said: 'This is a huge milestone, for years, we've heard empty promises from governments whilst victims have continued to be silenced, to see this Government accept the need for nationwide legal change shows that they have listened and understood the abuse of power taking place. 'Above all, though, this victory belongs to the people who broke their NDAs, who risked everything to speak the truth when they were told they couldn't. Without their courage, none of this would be happening.'
Wales Online
08-08-2025
- General
- Wales Online
DWP staff 'terrified' as another glass sheet falls from Welsh office
DWP staff 'terrified' as another glass sheet falls from Welsh office 'Staff are terrified to go in yet are being told the building is safe' Glass that fell from the DWP office in Treforest industrial estate Big sheets of glass have fallen multiple floors from a UK Government office building in Wales. Some staff based at the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) site in Treforest industrial estate, Rhondda Cynon Taf, are scared to go in after two occasions in recent weeks where panes plummeted onto the ground outside. When the 133,000 sq ft building, Ty Taf, opened in 2021 it was lauded by the then-Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, as "state of the art". But the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) has now called for it to shut until an audit takes place, telling WalesOnline: "The DWP office at Ty Taf has been a disaster since it first opened. Despite PCS raising several health and safety issues over the years, the DWP has failed to remedy the problems." Whistleblowers say the site — which is the base of some 1,600 civil servants — has been "constantly" plagued by issues including cracking of the large panes that make up the window walls. One on the fourth floor fell out during hot weather around three weeks ago and then this week, overnight on Wednesday, August 6, one fell from the third floor. Shattered window at DWP office in Treforest industrial estate Staff raised concerns with the DWP after the first shattering and their safety fears have only worsened after this week's incident. The building is now closed but it is due to reopen once work takes place "early next week". The DWP says a full survey will be conducted to investigate the cause of the incident, and any recommendations will be followed. "If this was a public-facing building, would the general public be expected to dodge the potential glass fall for an appointment?" said one whistleblower. "There would be uproar, but as we are not open to the public, civil servant staff are expected to risk their lives going to work. "Management deem this building safe and have erected tunnels and fencing to walk around the building safely should glass randomly fall from the building. No internal measures have been put in place." We understand another window cracked around 18 months ago — though it did not fall — and staff were reassured by the DWP at the time that it was likely the result of a "bird strike". In recent weeks some staff have been relying on Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act — which prevents workers being punished for raising health and safety concerns — to justify working from home due to not feeling safe in the building. Shattered window at DWP office in Treforest industrial estate A source said: "The union is pushing for the building to close until there is a structural engineer's report. A lot of members of staff are using Section 44 because they don't feel safe going in. "The window that fell this week had cracked a few weeks ago and had been boarded from inside, with a kind of film put over the top of it. Staff were concerned at the time that this was inadequate and have been proved right. "Over the last few years this building has been flooded twice. Toilets are constantly out of order. There are only one or two lifts working at any one time, out of four. At one time there were faulty fire detectors installed so the fire alarm kept being tripped. There's always something. It's meant to be state of the art." Another told us: "It floods, the lifts don't work, there are tremors felt on upper floors, the windows are cracking and falling to the ground. Staff are terrified to go in yet are being told the building is safe." PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: "We urge the DWP to urgently conduct a full audit of all our reps' safety concerns and close the office until the audit is complete and the full range of remedial measures are implemented." Article continues below A spokeswoman for the DWP said it takes safety seriously, adding: "We have since closed the building following the damage and staff were advised to work from alternative locations. 'A full survey will be conducted to investigate the cause of the incident, and any recommendations will be taken to ensure the safety of the building.' If you would like to speak to WalesOnline about any concerns over the building, or about another story, email us at
The Herald Scotland
06-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Allowing staff to refuse to take part in assisted dying ‘positive development'
The legislation as it is currently drafted means that doctors and other health professionals can refuse to take part, but a new amendment expected to be tabled this week is expected to say that 'no person is under any duty to participate in the provision of assistance'. Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, will put forward the change, meaning pharmacists and any other staff involved in the process will have the right to not participate. The Employment Rights Act is expected to be strengthened to protect employees who do not take part, and no reason will need to be given for opting out. Mr Streeting was asked on BBC Breakfast whether 'those assurances, those changes, reassure you personally in any way'. He replied: 'It doesn't change my view on the Bill as a whole, but I do think it's a positive development. 'I think the Bill as it was drafted always gave an opt out to doctors if they did not want to be part of an assisted dying service. 'And I think what Kim Leadbeater, who's leading this Bill process, has done is expanded that to include other NHS staff, including pharmacists, and I think that is a step in the right direction. 'And to be fair to Kim and to other colleagues on a different side of this debate, one thing I would say for Kim is that she has listened, she's engaged, and she's led this process with integrity. 'And on an issue of this sort of magnitude, it's right that the Government is neutral, that we don't take a position as a Government, and that we leave it for independent MPs to decide independently based on their own judgment, their own consciences and the practicalities. 'And I'm very sure when this Bill comes back to the House of Commons that we will have the same thoughtful and considered debate we had before because MPs are taking this really seriously.' The plans – currently making their way through Parliament – would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel. Ms Leadbeater has said that she understands 'not all people working in and around the health and care sector would want to participate in the provision of assisted dying'. She added: 'I promised during the lengthy committee hearings into the Bill that I would look at how we could extend the 'opt-out' provisions and that is what I will be proposing this week. 'As a result, nobody will be at risk of any detriment to their careers if, for any reason at all, they chose not to take part.' The proposed legislation has gone through significant changes since it made it through an initial Commons vote in November. The High Court safeguard has been dropped and replaced by expert panels, while the implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years for an assisted dying service to be in place, should the Bill pass into law. A Government analysis released on Friday suggested that almost 800 assisted deaths might occur in the first year of a service being in place in England and Wales. The 149-page impact assessment into the legislation said that the total number of assisted deaths is estimated to range from 164 and 787 in the first year, to between 1,042 and 4,559 in year 10. The same document also set out potential costs of the service and reduced end-of-life care costs. The establishment of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner and three-member expert panels would cost an estimated average of between £10.9 million to £13.6 million per year, the document said. But it said it had 'not been possible' to estimate the overall implementation costs at this stage of the process, which could include IT, recruitment and training and could begin to kick in within 12 months of the Bill getting Royal Assent. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years.
Sky News
06-05-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Politics latest: New Reform MP to join Commons as Westminster returns after election shock
NHS staff to be allowed to refuse to take part in assisted dying, under new amendment Staff will be allowed to refuse to take part in assisted dying, under new changes being proposed. NHS pharmacists will be among those given permission to opt out of being involved in delivering the procedure, if assisted dying becomes legal in the UK. An amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being put forward by the potential law's originator, Kim Leadbeater, this week. In it, the amendment will make clear that "no person" can be forced to take part in the lethal medical procedure. Changes will also be made to employment law so that nobody who refuses to participate can be dismissed or face disciplinary action as a result. Watch: Why has the Assisted Dying Bill divided opinions? What does the draft legislation currently say on participation? At the moment, the bill already exempts doctors and other health professionals from having to take part. But the new amendment will expand this definition to say that "no person is under any duty to participate in the provision of assistance". That means NHS workers like pharmacists and other staff will also be covered. A strengthening of the Employment Rights Act will also mean those who don't take part will need to give no reason for opting out. Leadbeater has said she understands "not all people working in and around the health and care sector would want to participate in the provision of assisted dying". She added: "I promised during the lengthy committee hearings into the bill that I would look at how we could extend the 'opt-out' provisions, and that is what I will be proposing this week. "As a result, nobody will be at risk of any detriment to their careers if, for any reason at all, they chose not to take part." What's changed in the bill since it was introduced last year? A reminder: the bill is a proposal to change the law in England and Wales so that terminally ill adults with less than six months to live would have the right to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and an expert panel. It has gone through lots of changes since it was first introduced to the House of Commons in November, where MPs voted in favour - moving it on beyond the bill's first stage. A promise of a High Court safeguard has been scrapped and replace with expert panels. Meanwhile, the implementation period (when the service must be up and running by following the bill becoming law) has been doubled to a maximum of four years. How much demand is there for an assisted dying service? Analysis released on Friday suggested as many as 800 assisted deaths could take place in the first year of it being in place in England and Wales. The 149-page government impact assessment into the bill said that the total number of assisted deaths is estimated to range from 164 and 787 in the first year, to between 1,042 and 4,559 in year 10. The same document also set out potential costs of the service and reduced end-of-life care costs. It estimated that the cost of setting up expert panels and a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner would be an average of between £10.9 million to £13.6 million per year. But it said it had 'not been possible' to estimate the overall implementation costs at this stage of the process, which could include IT, recruitment and training and could begin to kick in within 12 months of the bill getting Royal Assent. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
NHS staff can refuse to take part in assisted dying under amendment
NHS staff and pharmacists will be allowed to refuse to take part in assisted dying procedures, under an amendment to the plans expected to be laid this week. Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, will put forward a change meaning that 'no person' will have to participate in the process. As first reported by the Guardian, changes will also be made to employment law so that nobody who refuses to take part can be dismissed or face disciplinary action as a consequence. The legislation as it's currently drafted means that doctors and other health professionals can refuse to take part, but a new amendment expected to be tabled this week by Ms Leadbeater is expected to say that 'no person is under any duty to participate in the provision of assistance'. This will mean that pharmacists and any other staff involved in the process will also have the right to not participate. The Employment Rights Act is expected to be strengthened to protect employees who do not take part, and no reason will need to be given for opting out. The plans – currently making their way through Parliament – would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors, and an expert panel. Ms Leadbeater has said that she understands 'not all people working in and around the health and care sector would want to participate in the provision of assisted dying'. She added: 'I promised during the lengthy committee hearings into the Bill that I would look at how we could extend the 'opt-out' provisions and that is what I will be proposing this week. As a result, nobody will be at risk of any detriment to their careers if, for any reason at all, they chose not to take part.' The proposed legislation has gone through significant changes since it made it through an initial Commons vote in November. The High Court safeguard has been dropped and replaced by expert panels, while the implementation period has been doubled to a maximum of four years for an assisted dying service to be in place, should the Bill pass into law. A Government analysis released on Friday suggested that almost 800 assisted deaths might occur in the first year of a service being in place in England and Wales. The 149-page impact assessment into the legislation said that the total number of assisted deaths is estimated to range from 164 and 787 in the first year, to between 1,042 and 4,559 in year 10. The same document also set out potential costs of the service and reduced end-of-life care costs. The establishment of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner and three-member expert panels would cost an estimated average of between £10.9 million to £13.6 million per year, the document said. But it said it had 'not been possible' to estimate the overall implementation costs at this stage of the process, which could include IT, recruitment and training and could begin to kick in within 12 months of the Bill getting Royal Assent. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years.
