What's the difference between bullying and harassment?

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Accepted Answer

People often think of bullying and harassment as the same, however, there’s different legislation relating to each of them.
Workplace *bullying* is repeated, unreasonable and unwelcome behaviour directed towards an employee or group of employees that creates a risk to health and safety. Bullying is a health and safety issue and your employer has to prevent bullying because they have a duty to provide a safe workplace for you. Employers can be investigated and prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 2005.
Workplace *harassment* is unwanted behaviour that offends, humiliates or intimidates a person, and targets them on the basis of a characteristic such as gender, race or ethnicity. Harassment relates to the prohibition in anti-discrimination laws against sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination in the workplace. Employers can be prosecuted under the Employment Relations Act 2003 or under the Human Rights Act 1993.
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