Essex County Council admits number of sexual harassment cases
By: Piers Meyler

ESSEX County Council has heard nine complaints of sexual harassment in the past five years – leading to one resignation.

The council, which has employed an average of 7,100, says there has been no sackings in that time but there have been three final written warnings, two written warnings and one instance of “management advice”.

Two complaints were dismissed as “no case to answer”.

Three of the complaints were made against co –workers while there were six sexual harassment cases made by the public against staff.

In all nine of the sexual harassment cases, the allegation referred to an isolated incident and was not the pattern of any ongoing pattern of behaviour.

All the allegations referred to instances of inappropriate comments.

The council says that an allegation of sexual harrassment would either be raised as a grievance against an individual and if an allegation is made, a discplinary case would be raised and investigated accordingly.