Dignity At Work Policy

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Dignity At Work Policy

Approved by Council 23 March 2026
(Reviewed 14 September 2026, next scheduled review September 2029)

This policy is based upon the model policy from the National Association of Local
Councils

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North Petherton Town Council believes that civility and respect are important in the
working environment, and expect all councillors, officers, volunteers and the public to
be polite and courteous when working for, and with the council.
Purpose
North Petherton Town Council is committed to creating a working environment where
all council employees, councillors, volunteers, contractors and others who come into
contact with us in the course of our work, are treated with dignity, respect and
courtesy. We aim to create a workplace where there is zero tolerance for harassment
and bullying
In support of this objective, North Petherton Town Council intends to sign up to the
Civility Pledge, as a commitment to civility and respect in our work, and politeness
and courtesy in behaviour, speech, and in the written word. Further information about
the Civility and Respect Pledge is available NALC & SLCC
We recognise that there is a continuum where unaddressed issues have the potential
to escalate and become larger, more complex issues and this policy sets out how
concerns will be managed however the emphasis of this policy is on resolution and
mediation where appropriate, rather than an adversarial process.
This document:
• explains how we will respond to complaints of bullying or harassment;
• ensures that we respond sensitively and promptly; and,
• supports our employees in ensuring their behaviour does not amount to
bullying and/or harassment by giving examples.
Scope
This policy covers bullying and harassment of and by the Town Clerk, and all
employees engaged to work at North Petherton Town Council. Should agency staff,
or contractors have a complaint connected to their engagement with North Petherton
Town Council this should be raised to their nominated contact, manager, or the
Mayor, in the first instance. Should the complaint be about the Mayor the complaint
should be raised to the Deputy Mayor or the chair of the Town Council’s Resources
Committee.
Agency staff, or contractors are equally expected to treat Town Council colleagues,
and other representatives and stakeholders with dignity and respect, and the council
may terminate the contract, without notice, where there are suspicions of harassment
or bullying.

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Complaints about other employment matters will be managed under the Town
Council’s grievance policy and procedure.
It is noted that the management of a situation may differ depending on who the
allegations relate to (e.g. employees, contractor, councillor), however, the Town
Council will take appropriate action if any of its employees are bullied or harassed by
employees, councillors, volunteers, members of the public, suppliers or contractors.
The position on bullying and harassment
All staff and council representatives are entitled to dignity, respect and courtesy
within the workplace and to not experience any form of discrimination. North
Petehrton Town Council will not tolerate bullying or harassment in our workplace or
at work-related events outside of the workplace, whether the conduct is a one-off act
or repeated course of conduct, and whether harm is intended or not. Neither will we
tolerate retaliation against, or victimisation of, any person involved in bringing a
complaint of harassment or bullying. You should also be aware that, if you have
bullied or harassed someone (e.g. physical violence, harassment), in some
circumstances the treatment may amount to a crime punishable by a fine or
imprisonment.
We expect all representatives of the council to treat each other with respect and
uphold the values of the code of conduct, civility and respect pledge, equality policy,
and all other policies and procedures approved by the Town Council.
We expect you to demonstrate respect by listening and paying attention to others,
having consideration for other people’s feelings, following protocols and rules,
showing appreciation and thanks, and being kind.
Allegations of bullying and harassment will be treated seriously. Investigations will be
carried out promptly, sensitively and, as far as possible, confidentially. See the
grievance policy for further details regarding the process. Employees and others who
make allegations of bullying or harassment in good faith will not be treated less
favourably as a result.
False accusations of harassment or bullying can have a serious effect on innocent
individuals. Staff and others have a responsibility not to make false allegations. While
we will assume that all complaints of bullying and harassment are made in good faith,
in the event that allegations are found to be malicious or vexatious the person raising
the complaint may be subject to action under the council’s disciplinary procedure.

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Harassment

Bullying

•Where a person is subject to uninvited conduct
that violates their dignity, in connection with a
protected characteristic
•Behaviour that creates a hostile, humiliating,
degrading or similarly offensive environment in
relation to a protected characteristic

•Behaviour that leaves the victim feeling
threatened, intimidated, humiliated, vulnerable
or otherwise upset. It does not need to be
connected to a protected characteristic.

What Type of Treatment amounts to Bullying or Harassment?
‘Bullying’ or ‘harassment’ are phrases that apply to treatment from one person (or a
group of people) to another that is unwanted and that has the effect of violating that
person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or
offensive environment for that person.
Examples of bullying and harassment include:
• Physical conduct ranging from unwelcome touching to serious assault
• Unwelcome sexual advances
• The offer of rewards for going along with sexual advances e.g. promotion,
access to training
• Threats for rejecting sexual advances
• Demeaning comments about a person’s appearance
• Verbal abuse or offensive comments, including jokes or pranks related to age,
disability, gender re-assignment, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy,
maternity, race, religion, belief, sex or sexual orientation
• Unwanted nicknames, especially related to a person's age, disability, gender
re-assignment, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion,
belief, sex or sexual orientation
• Spreading malicious rumours or insulting someone
• Lewd or suggestive comments or gestures
• Deliberate exclusion from conversations, work activities or social activities.
• Withholding information a person needs in order to do their job
• Practical jokes, initiation ceremonies or inappropriate birthday rituals
• Physical abuse such as hitting, pushing or jostling
• Rifling through, hiding or damaging personal property

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Display of pictures or objects with sexual or racial overtones, even if not
directed at any particular person
Isolation or non-cooperation at work
Subjecting a person to humiliation or ridicule, belittling their efforts, whether
directly and / or in front of others
The use of obscene gestures
Abusing a position of power

Bullying and harassment can occur through verbal, oral and face to face interactions,
but can also take place through sharing inappropriate or offensive content in writing
or via email and other electronic communications and social media.
It is important to recognise that conduct which one person may find acceptable,
another may find totally unacceptable and behaviour could be harassment when the
person had no intention to offend. We all have the right to determine what offends
us. Some behaviour will be clear to any reasonable person that it is likely to offend –
for example sexual touching. Other examples may be less clear, however, you should
be aware that harassment will occur if behaviour continues after the recipient has
advised you that the behaviour is unacceptable to them.
Harassment can also occur where the unwanted behaviour relates to a perceived
characteristic ( such as offensive jokes or comments based on the assumption
someone is gay, even if they are not) or due to their association with someone else
(such as harassment related to their partner having a disability for example). See the
Town Council’s Equality and Dversity Policy.
All employees must, therefore, treat their colleagues with respect and appropriate
sensitivity and should feel able to challenge behaviour that they find offensive even if
it is not directed at them.
It is important to recognise that bullying does not include appropriate criticism of an employee’s
behaviour or effective, robust performance management. Constructive and fair feedback
about your behaviour or performance from your manager or colleagues/Councillors is not
bullying. It is part of normal employment and management routines, and should not be
interpreted as anything different.

Victimisation
Victimisation is subjecting a person to a detriment because they have, in good faith,
complained (whether formally or otherwise) that someone has been bullying or
harassing them or someone else, or supported someone to make a complaint or
given evidence in relation to a complaint. This would include isolating someone

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because they have made a complaint or giving them a heavier or more difficult
workload.
Provided that you act in good faith, i.e. you genuinely believe that what you are saying
is true, you have a right not to be victimised for making a complaint or doing anything
in relation to a complaint of bullying or harassment and the council will take
appropriate action to deal with any alleged victimisation, which may include
disciplinary action against anyone found to have victimised you.
Making a complaint that you know to be untrue, or giving evidence that you know to
be untrue, may lead to disciplinary action being taken against you.

Reporting Concerns
What you should do if you feel you are being bullied or harassed by a member of
the public or supplier (as opposed to a colleague)
If you are being bullied or harassed by someone with whom you come into contact at
work, please raise this with your nominated manager in the first instance or, with the
clerk/or a councillor. Any such report will be taken seriously, and we will decide how
best to deal with the situation, in consultation with you.
What you should do if you feel you are being bullied or harassed by a councillor:
If you are being bullied or harassed by a councillor, please raise this with the
clerk/chief officer or the chair of the council in the first instance. They will then
decide how best to deal with the situation, in consultation with you. There are two
possible avenues for you, informal or formal. The Informal Resolution is described
below. Formal concerns regarding potential breaches of the Councillors Code of
Conduct must be investigated by the Monitoring Officer.
The council will consider reasonable measures to protect your health and
safety. Such measures may include a temporary change in duties or change of work
location, not attending meetings with the person about whom the complaint has been
made etc.
What you should do if you witness an incident you believe to harassment or
bullying: If you witness such behaviour you should report the incident in confidence
to the clerk/chief officer or a councillor. Such reports will be taken seriously and will
be treated in strict confidence as far as it is possible to do so.

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What you should do if you are being bullied or harassed by another member of
staff: If you are being bullied or harassed by a colleague or contractor, there are two
possible avenues for you, informal or formal. These are described below.
Informal resolution
If you are being bullied or harassed, you may be able to resolve the situation yourself
by explaining clearly to the perpetrator(s) that their behaviour is unacceptable,
contrary to the council’s policy and must stop. Alternatively, you may wish to ask the
clerk/chief officer, your nominated manager or a colleague to put this on your behalf
or to be with you when confronting the perpetrator(s).
If the above approach does not work or if you do not want to try to resolve the
situation in this way, or if you are being bullied by your own nominated manager, you
should raise the issue with the chair of the council. (If your concern relates to the
chair, you should raise it with the chair of the personnel/staffing committee). The
chair (or another appropriate person) will discuss with you the option of trying to
resolve the situation informally by telling the alleged perpetrator, without prejudicing
the matter, that:
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there has been a complaint that their behaviour is having an adverse effect on
a member of the council staff
such behaviour is contrary to our policy
for employees, the continuation of such behaviour could amount to a serious
disciplinary offence

It may be possible for this conversation to take place with the alleged perpetrator
without revealing your name, if this is what you want. The person dealing with it will
also stress that the conversation is confidential.
In certain circumstances we may be able to involve a neutral third party (a mediator)
to facilitate a resolution of the problem. The chair (or another appropriate person) will
discuss this with you if it is appropriate.
If your complaint is resolved informally, the alleged perpetrator(s) will not usually be
subject to disciplinary sanctions. However, in exceptional circumstances (such as
extremely serious allegation or in cases where a problem has happened before) we
may decide to investigate further and take more formal action notwithstanding that
you raised the matter informally. We will consult with you before taking this step.
Raising a formal complaint
If informal resolution is unsuccessful or inappropriate, you can make a formal
complaint about bullying and harassment through the Town Council’s grievance

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procedure. You should raise your complaint to the Town Clerk or the Mayor. A
formal complaint may ultimately lead to disciplinary action against the perpetrator(s)
where they are employed.
The Town Clerk or the Mayor will appoint someone to investigate your complaint in
line with the grievance policy. You will need to co-operate with the investigation and
provide the following details (if not already provided):
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The name of the alleged perpetrator(s),
The nature of the harassment or bullying,
The dates and times the harassment or bullying occurred,
The names of any witnesses and
Any action taken by you to resolve the matter informally.

The alleged perpetrator(s) would normally need to be told your name and the details
of your grievance in order for the issue to be investigated properly. However, we will
carry out the investigation as confidentially and sensitively as possible. Where you
and the alleged perpetrator(s) work in proximity to each other, we will consider
whether it is appropriate to make temporary adjustments to working arrangements
whilst the matter is being investigated.
Where your complaint relates to potential breaches of the Councillors Code of
Conduct, these will need to be investigated by the Monitoring Officer. The Town
Ccouncil will consider any adjustments to support you in your work and to manage
the relationship with the councillor the allegations relate to, while the investigation
proceeds.
Investigations will be carried out promptly (without unreasonable delay), sensitively
and, as far as possible, confidentially. When carrying out any investigations, we will
ensure that individuals' personal data is handled in accordance with the data
protection policy.
The Town Council will consider how to protect your health and wellbeing whilst the
investigation is taking place and discuss this with you. Depending on the nature of
the allegations, the Investigator may want to meet with you to understand better your
compliant (see the grievance policy for further information, and details of your right to
be accompanied).
After the investigation, a panel will meet with you to consider the complaint and the
findings of the investigation in accordance with the grievance procedure. At the
meeting you may be accompanied by a fellow worker or a trade union official.

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Following the conclusion of the hearing the panel will write to you to inform you of the
decision and to notify you of your right to appeal if you are dissatisfied with the
outcome. You should put your appeal in writing explaining the reasons why you are
dissatisfied with the decision. Your appeal will be heard under the appeal process
that is described in the grievance procedure.

The use of the Disciplinary Procedure
If at any stage from the point at which a complaint is raised, we believe there is a
case to answer and a disciplinary offence might have been committed, we will
instigate our disciplinary procedure. We will keep you informed of the outcome.
This is a non-contractual policy and procedure which will be reviewed from time to
time.
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