Making and handling complaints
If someone has experienced or witnessed sex discrimination at work, they can make a complaint to their employer. The employer should take it seriously and look into it as soon as possible.
Sex discrimination can be very distressing. It can have a severe impact on someone's mental health and wellbeing.
Employers should make sure that:
- reporting sex discrimination is as easy as possible
- anyone who's experienced or witnessed it feels safe, protected and supported
- anyone accused of sex discrimination is treated in an impartial and fair way
If you've experienced sex discrimination
It's best to make a complaint as soon as possible. But if you make a complaint a long time after an incident took place, your employer should still take it seriously.
Find out what to do if you've been discriminated against
Witnessing sex discrimination
If you think someone at work is being discriminated against, there are actions you can take. This could include stepping in to try and stop it happening if you feel it's safe, supporting people or giving evidence.
Witnessing discrimination might also affect you personally. In some circumstances, you could make a harassment complaint yourself.
Find out more about witnessing discrimination
Handling a discrimination complaint
If you're an employer or manager, you should look into any discrimination complaint in a way that's fair and sensitive to:
- the person who made the complaint
- anyone who witnessed it
- anyone accused of discrimination