Sexual Harassment Awareness for Recruitment Agencies

This training equips recruitment agencies with the knowledge and confidence to meet their legal responsibilities under UK employment law when managing sexual harassment issues involving workers placed in schools. Drawing on the latest legislation, tribunal outcomes, and real‑world industry challenges, the course provides clear, practical guidance to help agencies reduce risk, strengthen compliance, and fulfil their duty of care to all workers.

Rooted in the Equality Act 2010 and strengthened by the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act) Act 2023, the session explains the updated anticipatory duty that came into force in October 2024, requiring employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. The training breaks this down into a structured 8‑step framework, giving your agency the tools to implement, evidence, and sustain compliance.

Participants will explore what sexual harassment means in law, how it appears in modern workplaces (including digital spaces), and how “banter”, social norms, and grey‑area behaviours can escalate into unlawful conduct. Through case studies including recent tribunal decisions and examples relevant to recruitment in education settings you will gain understanding of where liability arises and the consequences of failing to act.

A key component of the course focuses on third‑party risk, including the particular challenges of placing workers in school environments. While agencies are not automatically liable for the actions of school employees, they are legally responsible for risk‑assessing placements, acting on concerns, ensuring reporting routes are clear, and taking swift, reasonable steps when issues arise. You will learn how to identify red flags, conduct placement‑specific risk assessments, and implement proactive controls before, during, and after placements.

The training also covers the impact of harassment on individuals and organisations, the importance of robust policies (including why sexual harassment should stand alone), the need for meaningful training over “tick‑box” approaches, and how to monitor, evaluate, and evidence compliance. Participants will work through realistic scenarios, practice identifying unlawful behaviour, and build confidence in responding to concerns—even where workers fear speaking up.

By the end of the course, your agency will understand the law, recognise risk, know how to protect workers, and be able to demonstrate the preventative steps expected by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. This session is essential for any recruitment business supplying staff to schools and looking to strengthen compliance, minimise legal exposure, and create a professional culture where workers feel respected and supported.