Research by employment law firm GQ|Littler shows ‘banter’ is increasingly being used as a justification for alleged discrimination and harassment in employment tribunals. In total, the number of tribunals where one party claimed their comments were ‘banter’ rose from 67 in 2020 to 97 last year, a 45% increase. The law firm’s spokesperson acknowledged the importance of humour in the workplace but warned people to be wary of making jokes that stray into “offensive territory.”
Research by employment law firm GQ|Littler shows ‘banter’ is increasingly being used as a justification for alleged discrimination and harassment in employment tribunals. In total, the number of tribunals where one party claimed their comments were ‘banter’ rose from 67 in 2020 to 97 last year, a 45% increase. The law firm’s spokesperson acknowledged the importance of humour in the workplace but warned people to be wary of making jokes that stray into “offensive territory.”