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Legislation

campaigning

Our mission is to end workplace bullying through the development of meaningful prevention activities for organisations and the implementation of effective routes to redress for individuals.

We aim to achieve this by raising awareness and seeking formal recognition of workplace bullying as a problem that injures individuals and damages organisations. 

The law does not provide sufficient protection or redress for people whose employers let bullying go unchecked, making the process of seeking legal remedy in these cases unduly complex and arduous. We will work with lawyers and legislators to identify and close the gaps in legislation.

To support our mission, we brought together legal experts who have kindly provided their time to explore existing legislation and create a proposal for new legislation. 

Current Legal options if you've suffered bullying at work

“If someone is subjected to workplace bullying, with no identifiable motive connected to a protected characteristic, they don’t resign in response to the conduct, and they do not suffer a recognised psychiatric illness, there is no direct legal recourse as the law currently stands”

Jessica Rowson

Director and Head of Psychiatric Injury

Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from harm and receive support from their employer in the event that there are issues of workplace bullying.


There are two different areas of law which cover bullying issues and the safety of employees whilst at work:

  • Employment law

  • Civil law

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0113 200 9787

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DOWNLOAD the Overview of Legal options if you’ve suffered with Bullying at Work

Our proposal

Our proposal aims to fill the gap in the law such that non-discriminatory bullying claims achieve equity with harassment claims in a tribunal through:

  • Defining Workplace bullying in legislation

  • Protection for workers from day one

  • The ability to bring a claim without having to resign 

  • The potential to claim for injury to feeling

This proposal has been extended further to create the Bullying and Respect at Work Bill:

 

"A Bill to provide for a statutory definition of bullying at work; to make provision relating to bullying at work, including to enable claims relating to workplace bullying to be considered by an employment tribunal; to provide for a Respect at Work Code to set minimum standards for positive and respectful work environments; to give powers to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to investigate workplaces and organisations where there is evidence of a culture of, or multiple incidents of, bullying and to take enforcement action; and for connected purposes.”

We have provided updates on progress at our annual United Against Workplace Bullying Conference each November to support our work. Find out more by watching the videos below.  

 

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add your voice!

The Stop Hurt at Work campaign is calling for an end to workplace bullying – a serious and widespread problem that injures individuals and damages organisations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why should I get involved?

Maybe you have been affected by workplace bullying yourself, whether as the target of a bully or as a witness to bullying behaviour. Maybe you know, through the experience of a colleague friend or family member, the terrible personal consequences of bullying. Or maybe you are seeing the bigger picture – the damage that unhealthy workplace cultures do to public institutions and private companies has never been more evident. It’s time to stop hurt at work.

 

This is a great chance to join the campaign from the start. We have researched different routes to meaningful and lasting change, and already identified an MP who will lead the push for a new law to protect workers and workplaces from the devastating effects of bullying.

What can I do?

 

Your voice as an individual can make a difference when it comes to building support for the campaign to end workplace bullying. It’s your MP’s job to listen to what you have to say and represent you in Parliament. By communicating your experience and your views, you can make a persuasive case for your MP to get behind the campaign and support proposals to change the law.

 

How do I contact my MP?

 

Information about contacting your MP, including a link to find contact details, is available here. In your email, message or letter you should include your address to show that you are a constituent.

 

What should I say?

The most important things are to say clearly that you want workplace bullying to end and that you are asking your MP to support the campaign for change to stop hurt at work. Your own story, if you are able to share it, can be very powerful. Ask your MP to join the push for changing the law on workplace bullying. You could also refer your MP to the campaign information on this page.

We’ve created a template with a suggested form of words that you may wish to use as part of your email, message or letter.  You can download a copy here.

 

What then?

 

If you feel able, show your support by downloading the social media resources and sharing to encourage others to add their voices to the campaign.

You can also use the site Tweet My MP to send a message or one of our images directly to your MP

 

 

You can also make your voice count through our official data partner Speak Out Revolution by adding your experience to their dashboard.  The data collected will be used to support our campaigning.

 

Let us know what response you get from your MP via email We will keep in touch through our newsletters and let you know how to stay involved as we take the next steps in the campaign, in Parliament and elsewhere.

Please sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with developments!

We secured support from Rachael Maskell MP to bring forward a Bill to change the law on workplace bullying.

 

On 11 July 2023, Rachael presented her Ten Minute Rule Motion in the House of Commons on Bullying and Respect at Work. 

The Bullying and Respect at Work Bill was presented in the new session of Parliament on 11 December 2023, with a second reading scheduled for 7 June 2024.

 

You can also see which MPs have supported her Early Day Motion about the Bill by clicking on the image below. 

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Videos
United Against Workplace Bullying Conference 2023

The Bullying and Respect at Work Bill

Bullying and Respect at Work Bill UAWB Conference 2023

Bullying and Respect at Work Bill UAWB Conference 2023

Play Video

Panel Members:

Rachael Maskell MP

Liam Ryan, Barrister, 7BR

Videos
United Against Workplace Bullying Conference 2022

Practical Solutions for Workplace Bullying legislation 

Practical solutions to Workplace Bullying Legislation

Practical solutions to Workplace Bullying Legislation

Play Video

Panel Members:

Jess Rowson, Oakwood Solicitors 

Tosh Polpitiye, Astute Law

United Against Workplace Bullying Conference 2021

Closing the Gap in Legislation for Workplace Bullying

Closing the gap in legislation for workplace bullying

Closing the gap in legislation for workplace bullying

Play Video

Panel Members

Nicki Eyre, Conduct Change

Jess Rowson, Oakwood Solicitors 

Liam Ryan, Barrister, 7BR

Marian Bloodworth, Chair of the national Employment Lawyers Association

United Against Workplace Bullying Conference 2020

Workplace Bullying: Is legislation working?

Workplace Bullying: Is legislation working?

Workplace Bullying: Is legislation working?

Play Video

Panel Members:

Nicki Eyre, Conduct Change

Jess Rowson, Oakwood Solicitors 

Liam Ryan, Barrister, 7BR

Marian Bloodworth, Chair of the national Employment Lawyers Association

Jenny McCullough, Conduct Change Advisory Board

Emily Commander, Conduct Change Advisory Board

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