Angela Rayner is accused of plotting to censor workplace banter by forcing firms to hire ‘diversity officers’ tasked with policing overheard conversations. The Mail has more.
Last night, the Tories warned that the so-called ‘banter police’ would have a “chilling effect” on businesses already struggling under the weight of high taxes and excess regulation under Labour.
Under Ms Rayner’s Employment Rights Bill, employers must try to protect their staff from harassment by third parties.
It means, for example, that a worker could take an employer to tribunal if they feel jokes or banter they overhear was offensive on grounds such as race, sex or religion if their bosses didn’t do “all they could” to prevent it.
That is likely to lead to firms taking on more diversity officers to monitor what people are saying to help them prove they had taken sufficient steps to protect their workers.
The Bill fails to stipulate any ring fence allowing the expression of opinions on political, moral, religious or social matters …
The Bill requires bosses to give trade union representatives time off for matters “relating to equality in the workplace” – further adding to costs, and to the number of potential busybodies monitoring speech. …
The number of employment tribunal claims relating to “banter” in the workplace rose by 45% in 2021 alone, and bosses fear the new legislations will cause this to spiral even faster.
The changes would be a boon for outfits such as Inclusive Employers, which offers “banter workplace training”. …
The new laws will also roll back moves by the last Conservative government to stop Whitehall spending taxpayers’ money on “diversity, equality and inclusion” initiatives.
Worth reading in full.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.