Sexual harassment and the SMCR

In keeping with the #MeToo era, sexual misconduct has been flagged by the financial regulator as a relevant matter when assessing the integrity, fitness and propriety of individuals within the industry. Elliot Francis explains how this issue relates to the overhauled accountability regime for financial services.

Elliot Francis is an employment lawyer with full-service law firm Edwin Coe. Contact him on elliot.francis@edwincoe.com.

The increased spotlight on sexual harassmentand other sexual misconduct in the workplace continues to be a driver for all industries to reconsider and reshape the way such matters are dealt with. It is no longer something employers can sweep under the carpet; this is in part due to the #MeToo movement and the work of advocacy groups such as the Women and Equalities Committee who continue to act as a voice for change.