Sexual Harassment at Work Employment Tribunal Claims

Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature is illegal under the Equality Act 2010. You have the right to claim compensation — and you don't need a solicitor to start.

What counts as sexual harassment at work?

Sexual harassment under the Equality Act 2010 is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates your dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. This includes comments, jokes, touching, unwanted advances, requests for sexual favours, displaying explicit material, and online harassment. It doesn't have to be intentional and can come from anyone — colleagues, managers, clients, or visitors.

What's the difference between quid pro quo and hostile environment harassment?

Quid pro quo harassment is when a benefit (promotion, pay rise, keeping your job) is made conditional on accepting sexual conduct. Hostile environment harassment is when conduct creates an intimidating or offensive workplace, even without explicit conditions. Both are actionable under the Equality Act 2010.

How long do I have to make a claim?

You generally have three months minus one day from the date the harassment ended (or the last incident in a series). If harassment was ongoing, the three-month clock runs from the last incident. You can claim after this deadline only if you can show it was "just and equitable" to extend the time limit — a high threshold, so don't delay.

How much compensation can I get?

Compensation can include injury to feelings (Vento bands 2026/27: £1,300–£12,600 lower, £12,600–£37,700 middle, £37,700–£62,900 upper), financial loss (lost wages, benefits, job search costs), aggravated damages (if the employer's response was particularly bad), and in rare cases, exemplary damages. There's no upper statutory limit, and awards have reached six figures in severe cases.

What evidence do I need?

Keep emails, messages, witness statements, diary notes with dates and times, payslips showing lost earnings, medical evidence of stress, and documentation of complaints to HR. If you reported it at the time, that evidence is gold — it shows the employer knew. Witness testimony is also powerful if colleagues experienced or saw the harassment.

Can I still claim if I've left the job?

Yes, absolutely. Many people claim after leaving because the harassment made the job untenable. There's no requirement to still be employed, though leaving due to harassment can strengthen claims for constructive dismissal or indirect loss. Just remember the three-month time limit runs from when the harassment ended, not from when you left.

What if my employer says I consented or it was banter?

Harassment is unwanted conduct — if you didn't welcome it, consent is not a defence. "Just banter" is also not a legal defence; the test is whether conduct was unwanted and whether a reasonable person would find it created a hostile environment. Courts focus on the impact on you, not the perpetrator's intent.

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Sexual Harassment at Work

Employment Tribunal Claims

Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature is illegal under the Equality Act 2010. You have the right to claim compensation — and you don\'t need a solicitor to start.

Vento bands 2026/27 injury to feelings

Time limit from last incident

Maximum compensation

What counts as sexual harassment under the Equality Act?

Sexual harassment is defined in section 26 of the Equality Act 2010

as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that either violates your dignity, or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.

The key word is unwanted — it doesn\'t matter what the person intended. If you made it clear the conduct wasn\'t welcome, or a reasonable person would understand it wasn\'t welcome, it\'s harassment. The tribunal will judge based on both the objective facts and the impact on you.

Sexual harassment is a protected act under the Equality Act, and you are protected whether or not you\'re the direct target. For example, if a colleague\'s harassment of another employee creates an offensive environment for you, you may have a claim.

Types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo vs hostile environment

Quid pro quo harassment

This means "this for that" — a benefit or detriment tied to acceptance of sexual conduct. Examples: "Get promoted if you go out with me," "Keep your job if you don\'t report the touching," "Get a pay rise if you send me photos." The perpetrator must have authority or be perceived to have authority over you, though tribunals have widened this.

Hostile environment harassment

This is when a pattern of conduct creates an intimidating or offensive atmosphere, even without direct quid pro quo. Examples: repeated suggestive comments, inappropriate touching, sharing explicit material, catcalling, or displaying sexist material. It doesn\'t have to be severe in each instance — a course of conduct counts.

Related harassment (sex-related)

You can also claim if harassment is not explicitly sexual but is sex-related — for example, being treated worse because you\'re a woman or man, or because you refused sexual conduct. Gender-based insults, assumptions, or exclusion can all be actionable.

Time limits: when you must file a claim

You have three months minus one day from the date of the last incident to file an ET1 (employment tribunal claim form) with ACAS early conciliation.

If harassment was ongoing (a "course of conduct"), the three-month clock runs from the final incident. For example, if the last comment was made on 5 April, you have until 4 July to start ACAS conciliation. If you miss this, you will be out of time and unable to claim, with very rare exceptions.

You can only extend the deadline if you can convince the tribunal it was "just and equitable" to do so — a high bar. This might apply if you had a mental health crisis, were hospitalised, or couldn\'t access legal advice, but the tribunal will scrutinise this carefully. Don\'t rely on extensions; file on time.

If you complained to HR or your employer within the timeframe but they didn\'t deal with it properly, that doesn\'t extend your time limit — you must still file with ACAS within three months of the last incident.

How much compensation can you claim?

There is no statutory upper limit on compensation for sexual harassment. Awards are made up of several components:

The main award for the emotional impact of harassment. Tribunals use the Vento bands (2026/27, claims presented on or after 6 April 2026): lower (£1,300–£12,600) for isolated or less serious incidents; middle (£12,600–£37,700) for serious or persistent harassment; upper (£37,700–£62,900) for severe, pervasive harassment causing significant distress. The very worst cases can exceed the upper band.

Lost wages if you had to leave your job, lost bonus or commission, medical costs (therapy, counselling), recruitment fees if you had to pay to find new work.

Extra compensation if your employer\'s response to your complaint made things worse — for example, if they dismissed you for complaining, or accused you of lying, or blamed you for the harassment.

Rare, but awarded in cases of particularly egregious employer conduct (e.g., coverup, systematic negligence). Tribunals are reluctant to award these, but they do happen.

Awards vary widely. A single unwanted comment might award £1,000–£2,000. A course of conduct creating a genuinely hostile environment, especially if compounded by mishandled complaints, can easily reach £10,000–£20,000 or more.

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Start My Claim is not a law firm. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.