Our solicitors are qualified to handle all legal matters relating to employment disputes. We can provide representation to individuals located anywhere in the United Kingdom for compensation claims based on racial harassment. All of our solicitors are specialists in employment law. The first step is to attempt to negotiate a settlement with the employer. Where negotiations fail, our solicitors have the skills and experience to apply to the Employment Tribunal and get you fair compensation for your racial harassment claim.

Racial harassment occurs when an individual is subjected to unfavourable treatment or offensive behaviour because of their race, colour, ethnicity, national origin or nationality. This behavior can range anywhere from a passing inappropriate comment to serious physical assault. A claim of racial harassment cannot be brought against someone merely because that person is racially prejudiced. Rather, the racial harassment must be tied to specific actions.

Whilst there is no one piece of legislation that comprehensively covers issues of racial harassment, there are several relevant statutes that come into effect:

• Race Relations Act 1976
• Protection from Harassment Act 1996
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994

In many cases, racial harassment is the result of a single physical intrusion or attack. However, some verbal incidents qualify as racial harassment as well. Bullying tends to comprise a series of incidents, perhaps seemingly trivial on their own, that continue to occur over an extended period of time. For the most part, bullying is less physical in nature and rarely includes incidents such as damaging personal belongings or sabotaging the individual's work.

The employer is responsible for paying any compensation awarded as the result of a successful claim of racial harassment. In some cases, the employer may also be responsible for paying the compensation even when the illegal behaviour occurred after work hours and outside of the premises of the work environment. It depends on whether that time and place can be considered to have a connection to the employment. For instance, an office Christmas party, depending on the circumstances, could be considered an extension of the workplace. In that case, the employer's only means of escaping liability is to prove that they took every reasonable step to prevent the incident from occurring.

There are certain important steps that you should take if you believe that you are the victim of racial harassment. These actions will provide support for your case when you make an application for compensation to the Employment Tribunal.

• Make careful notes of all the details of the incident. Include the date, time and location of the incident as well as the name of the harasser(s). You should also record the names of any people who may have seen or heard the incident.
• Immediately report the incident to your superior. If the incident is not promptly resolved, make a formal complaint to the appropriate manager. Make the complaint as detailed as possible and include all of the information outlined above.
• If the matter remains unresolved after you've filed the formal complaint, seek the advice of a qualified solicitor. The solicitor can discuss with you the possibility of making an application to the Employment Tribunal to seek compensation. Should you choose to stay at your current place of employment, the Tribunal can also see to it that the harassment is stopped.

We utilize a no win no fee scheme so making a claim is totally risk free. You will be charged absolutely nothing if the solicitor is not successful in obtaining your compensation. If your case is won, you will be charged a percentage of the total amount of compensation awarded. Your solicitor will discuss this fee with you in advance so you know exactly what to expect. We never charge any hidden extras. Contact us today for no charge, no obligation advice about your claim. Just call us on our helpline or fill out the contact form.