Interest high in new Employment Sexual Harassment Act

The Employment Sexual Harassment (Prevention) Act 2017 has generated a lot of interest since it was proclaimed, with the Labour Department receiving many calls enquiring about it.

This is according to Linda Bowen, Senior Labour Officer – Industrial Relations Section of the Labour Department, who spoke with The Barbados Advocate on the sidelines of the Labour Management Relations Seminar recently at the Labour Department, Warrens Office Complex.

She stated that this Act provides an avenue for persons who feel that they are victims to take their case to their employers.

“The most recent Employment Sexual Harassment (Prevention) Act 2017, which was proclaimed in December 2017 and makes provision for the protection of employees in both the public and private sectors from sexual harassment at their workplace, provides a framework for the reporting on sexual harassment cases by employees, and a method of
resolving such cases; and establishes a procedure for the hearing and determination of matters related to sexual harassment, has been generating a lot of interest based on the several calls received, and so it is important that the general public be educated on the new parameters now established in the working relationship.”

Another Act that continues to generate a lot of interest, though it is not new, is the Employment Rights Act.

“The Employment Rights Act, which introduced concretised rights for workers and established definitive ways of doing business for employers and enshrining what had long been custom and practice, has proven to be of great interest to employers in these seminars, and the Department has endeavoured to not only stress the need for equity, but point out that it is about ensuring that employers can get the best out of their workers because there are now clearly stipulated rules for engagement.”

The Senior Labour Officer said that this Act helps employees to clearly establish what their role is.

“The provisions take the guess work out of the workers’ engagement, they know where they are supposed to be at what time, what they are supposed to be doing and the conditions of employment under which they are supposed to work.”

Bowen stated that both of these Acts would therefore assist them in carrying out their duties more effectively.

“Overall it is imperative that managers and employers have progressive policies and enforce those policies, while ensuring a new ethos in the workplace in managing people, in managing process, constantly looking for improvement, providing excellent service, and generally setting a new tone in the working environment.” (PJT)