EMPLOYERS were today given new guidelines on tackling sexual harassment at work.
The guidelines were issued after research showed it was a continual problem, especially where men held top jobs.
The Equal Opportunities Commission said sexual harassment remained all too common exactly 20 years after a landmark case established it as harassment under the Sex Discrimination Act.
Early findings from a commission study, to be published later this year, showed that sexual harassment was most common where there were far more men in an office, where men held positions of power, during periods of job insecurity or when a new manager was appointed.
Sexual harassment makes up more than one in five of sex discrimination cases. There has been one successful complaint brought every week in the past five years.
Commission chairman Jenny Watson said: "Sexual harassment causes women stress, health problems and cash penalties when they leave jobs to avoid it."
She said strong leadership was needed to create a workplace in which everyone was valued.
