Bullied at work: what to do and your legal options

Being bullied at work can mean a supervisor humiliating you in front of colleagues, impossible workloads or messages that make you dread the next shift. Start by recording what happened and getting support. You can complain without resigning. Whether you can take legal action depends on what the bully did and which legal protection applies.

Being bullied at work: what to do now

1. Save a record before the next shift. Note what happened, when and who saw it. Keep relevant messages and rota changes somewhere you can access lawfully.
2. Check your deadline and get backup. Contact your union representative. In Great Britain, call Acas on 0300 123 1100; in Northern Ireland, contact the Labour Relations Agency. Give the incident dates and ask which legal route and time limit may apply. Do not wait for HR to finish investigating.
3. Raise it somewhere safe. You do not have to confront someone who is threatening or sexually harassing you. If your manager is the bully, go to a more senior manager, HR or the alternative contact in your policy. Ask for practical protection, such as not being rostered alone with that person.
4. Put serious or continuing bullying in a written grievance. List incidents and witnesses, attach relevant evidence and explain the effect on your work or health. Ask for an investigation, written findings and safeguards. Say if you think discrimination or a health-and-safety risk is involved.
5. Take support to the hearing and appeal if needed. Request a qualifying colleague or union companion in advance. Ask for the outcome in writing. Appeal an unsatisfactory decision, but protect any tribunal deadline in parallel. Get individual advice before resigning.

What counts as bullying at work?

Acas describes bullying as unwanted behaviour that is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting, or an abuse of power that undermines or humiliates someone. It can happen once or repeatedly, in person or online. Examples include:

• Constant criticism or public humiliation, including in front of the rest of a shift.
• Deliberately heavier workloads or impossible demands.
• Spreading rumours or sending humiliating messages.
• Mocking a worker’s disability adjustments.

A fair performance review is not automatically bullying. Calling it performance management does not excuse shouting or sabotage. Record both the instruction and how it was delivered.

When does bullying become unlawful harassment?

In Great Britain, Equality Act 2010 section 26 has a narrower, legal meaning of harassment. Unwanted conduct must be related to age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and have the purpose or effect of violating dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. The tribunal considers the person’s perception, the circumstances and whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have that effect. Unwanted sexual conduct can qualify in its own right; less favourable treatment for rejecting or submitting to sexual conduct, or conduct related to sex or gender reassignment, has a separate test.

Suppose a supervisor ridicules everyone’s work. That may be bullying without an Equality Act harassment claim. If the supervisor instead mocks one worker’s disability adjustments, that link to disability may support a harassment claim. Pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnership, are not section 26 harassment characteristics, though other discrimination protections may apply. See our guide to the Equality Act at work. Northern Ireland uses different discrimination legislation, not this Act.

How to prove bullying at work

Build a record of the specific words, actions and decisions you are complaining about. Keep a private, dated account and save relevant documents lawfully. A useful record covers:

• What happened: the date, place, exact words or conduct, and who was responsible.
• Who saw or heard it: name witnesses and distinguish what you witnessed yourself from what someone told you.
• What backs it up: relevant emails, chat messages, rotas, shift changes and appraisals.
• What changed after you complained: cancelled shifts, a surprise performance plan or exclusion from meetings.
• Why discrimination may be involved: words or decisions connecting the conduct to a protected characteristic, and who was treated differently.
• The effect on you: what happened to your work or health. A GP record can show a health effect but cannot, by itself, prove who caused it.

Do not take confidential client files or access records you are not entitled to see. Use the evidence in a grievance, a discrimination complaint or a legal claim. You do not need a perfect file before asking for help, and collecting evidence must not make you miss a deadline.

Is bullying at work illegal in the UK?

Bullying is not automatically unlawful, and there is no standalone tribunal claim for bullying. That gap leaves workers having to show that the conduct meets another legal test. Discrimination and harassment law, dismissal protections, civil harassment law and health-and-safety duties may apply. More than one route can cover the same events.

You do not have to leave your job to bring a discrimination or harassment claim. Constructive dismissal is different: it concerns an employee who resigns in response to a fundamental breach by the employer. Do not resign just to turn bullying into a legal claim.

For harassment by its staff in the course of employment, a GB employer can be liable under Equality Act section 109 even if a senior manager did not personally join in. It has a defence if it took all reasonable steps to prevent the employee’s conduct. That defence is distinct from the separate, currently reasonable steps duty to prevent sexual harassment.

Employers have duties to protect health and safety, including assessing work-related stress risks. HSE may address failures to manage those risks but does not decide an individual’s grievance. The same distinction matters when considering a claim for work-related stress. Serious threats or violence can also be reported to the police; you need not exhaust an HR process first.

How to complain if your manager is bullying you

Do not send the grievance to the person you are complaining about. The Acas Code says a formal grievance should go to a manager who is not its subject. Tell HR or a more senior manager why you have bypassed your normal reporting line. Ask who will investigate, whether the accused will control your shifts or appraisal during the process, and when you should expect an update.

HR works for the employer, not as your lawyer. A fair inquiry may involve speaking to both sides and reviewing documents, with a written outcome for you. Disciplinary action against another employee may remain confidential. An employer that unreasonably fails to follow the Acas Code can face an adjustment of up to 25% to an award in a relevant successful GB tribunal case. In NI, failure to follow the LRA Code can lead to an adjustment of up to 50% in relevant proceedings. Neither percentage is an automatic payout for a poor investigation. Read more about raising a grievance.

What to put in your bullying grievance

Keep it factual: what happened, the evidence, the effect on you and what you want the employer to do. You can adapt this wording:

Union support for workplace bullying

A representative can help you identify the strongest legal issue, write a grievance and negotiate protection while your employer investigates. Ask the union covering your job: UNISON for care and NHS support work, Usdaw for retail, Unite for hospitality, food and cleaning, GMB for warehouse and logistics work, or the IWGB for delivery work. A recognised union can push for a better workplace policy where complaints recur. But a union cannot create a claim where the facts meet no legal test. Representation beyond a hearing depends on its membership rules and resources.

Workers in GB may reasonably request a colleague or qualifying trade union official at a disciplinary hearing or a grievance hearing dealing with a duty owed by the employer; NI has its own equivalent right. An agency worker can qualify. The official need not be from a union recognised by your employer, and you need not be a union member to choose one, but you cannot force a union to provide a representative. Your companion can put and sum up your case and confer with you, not answer questions in your place. A statutory companion right does not automatically cover an initial investigatory interview.

Separate protections apply if an employer penalises you for union membership or activities. Scheduled reforms will strengthen union representatives’ rights on 30 October 2026; a duty to tell workers about the right to join a union is planned for January 2027. Neither future change is in force today.

Workplace bullying claims: tribunal routes and deadlines

For most GB tribunal claims based on an act on or after 1 October 2026, the limit is six months minus one day. The usual earlier limit was three months minus one day and still governs acts before that date. Continuing discrimination may be measured from the last act, but do not assume separate incidents form one continuing act. In Scotland, the extension for employment-contract tribunal claims starts only on 9 November 2026. In NI, most tribunal claims still have a three-month limit. Different claims can have different starting dates and exceptions.

Notifying Acas within the GB limit pauses the clock for early conciliation. The process can run for up to 12 weeks, a maximum in force since 1 December 2025. That is not an extra 12 weeks automatically added to every deadline. After a certificate, you generally have at least one month to file. In NI, you usually need to go through LRA early conciliation. It has its own timetable, not the GB 12-week period. You generally need to notify the relevant service before lodging a tribunal claim, even if you decline talks. Limited exemptions exist.

Bullied at work then fired: can you claim?

Being bullied and then dismissed does not automatically prove unfair dismissal. Keep the dismissal letter, the reasons given and your earlier bullying records. Ordinary unfair dismissal normally requires employee status and two years’ service in GB for dismissals before 1 January 2027; NI normally requires one year. A discrimination claim or an applicable automatically unfair dismissal claim may be available without that service.

Tell your adviser if the dismissal followed a discrimination complaint, a protected disclosure or union activity. The legal protection depends on what you reported or did, not simply on having used the word bullying. A private bullying grievance is not automatically protected whistleblowing. Give Acas or the LRA the dismissal date as well as the dates of the bullying; different claims can have different starting points.

If bullying forces you to resign

Constructive unfair dismissal normally requires employee status and two years’ service in GB for a dismissal before 1 January 2027. Some automatically unfair dismissal claims have no qualifying period. You need to show a fundamental breach and that you resigned in response. Timing matters too. If you stay too long, you may be treated as having accepted the breach, though there is no automatic requirement to raise a grievance before resigning. NI’s ordinary qualifying period is one year. Get advice before giving notice. Constructive dismissal claims are hard to win.

If you are dismissed after reporting sexual harassment

Since 6 April 2026, information tending to show sexual harassment can qualify as a whistleblowing disclosure in GB. The ordinary conditions for a protected disclosure still apply, including a reasonable belief that it is in the public interest. An individual’s private grievance is not automatically protected whistleblowing. Workers can claim for whistleblowing detriment without two years’ service; employees dismissed for a protected disclosure may have an automatically unfair dismissal claim without it. The whistleblowing guide explains the test.

Can you claim compensation for bullying at work?

There is no automatic payout or tariff for bullying at work. For a tribunal award, you need a successful legal claim, and the compensation depends on that claim and the harm or loss proved. A successful GB discrimination or harassment claimant may recover financial loss and injury to feelings. You do not have to have resigned or been fired to claim.

For claims presented from 6 April 2026, the Vento guidance gives these injury-to-feelings bands:

• £1,300-£12,600: less serious cases.
• £12,600-£37,700: middle-band cases.
• £37,700-£62,900: the most serious cases. Exceptional awards can exceed the upper band.

These are guidance ranges, not guaranteed payments or an overall compensation cap. Scottish awards carry a guidance qualification. An award for unfair dismissal follows different rules.

For GB unfair dismissals falling under the current limits, the statutory week’s-pay ceiling for the basic award is £751 from 6 April 2026. The usual compensatory-award ceiling is the lower of £123,543 and 52 weeks’ gross pay, subject to statutory exceptions and the actual loss proved. On £40,000 annual gross pay, the 52-week limb would cap that award at £40,000, not guarantee it. These dismissal limits are separate from Equality Act injury-to-feelings awards. The 2026 limits Order sets the monetary figures.

Since 26 October 2024, GB employers must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees. If a tribunal finds actionable sexual harassment and a breach of that preventative duty, it can add up to 25% to the relevant Equality Act compensation; the duty alone is not a standalone worker claim for money. A separate Acas Code adjustment may also be relevant, but do not stack maximum uplifts and treat the result as a quote for your case. Civil harassment damages and personal-injury compensation follow other rules.

Bullying rights for agency workers and across the UK

Agency workers can have claims against a hirer under Equality Act section 41 and may have claims involving the agency. Who you should claim against depends on the facts. A genuinely self-employed person can still explore civil harassment or contractual routes. Some personal-service contractors qualify for Equality Act work protection despite a self-employed label. Job applicants also have GB harassment protection. What matters is how the relationship works, not the contract’s label. See employment status and agency workers’ rights.

Scotland shares the main GB employment and Equality Act rules but has different civil harassment remedies and, until 9 November 2026, the older employment-contract tribunal limit. NI does not use the Equality Act 2010 or the GB reforms described here. Its discrimination laws include protection connected with religious belief and political opinion. Its usual industrial tribunal clock is three months, and its advice and conciliation body is the LRA. See the NI employment law guide for the differences.

Bullying at work by customers or clients

Record the incident and report it to the employer. Identify the customer, where it happened and what you need to work safely. Ask for a concrete response, such as another contact person or not being sent alone to the premises. Current GB health-and-safety duties and the duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees may already be relevant. There is not yet a general Equality Act third-party harassment claim under the forthcoming provision.

Workplace bullying law: changes still to come

The government’s timetable schedules two GB changes for dismissals from 1 January 2027. The ordinary unfair dismissal qualifying period will fall from two years to six months, and the ordinary compensatory-award cap will be removed. NI is unaffected. Regulations limiting the use of non-disclosure agreements in harassment and discrimination cases are planned for 2027, without a confirmed commencement date. Do not rely on either reform for a decision you must make now. Future dates remain subject to parliamentary processes.

Where to get free advice on bullying at work

• Great Britain: Acas gives free, impartial advice on bullying at work and tribunal time limits. It is also the early-conciliation service, not your lawyer.
• Northern Ireland: use the LRA, nidirect and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland for discrimination issues.
• Help with your own case: ask your union, Citizens Advice or a local law centre to help you weigh up the options. Union casework and representation depend on membership rules and resources.
• Health and safety: speak to your GP if you are unwell. The HSE handles work-related health-and-safety concerns in GB, not individual bullying grievances. Use HSENI in Northern Ireland.
• Other exploitation: report minimum-wage underpayment or serious labour exploitation to the Fair Work Agency via GOV.UK. The EHRC is the GB equality regulator.

Get individual legal advice before resigning, signing a settlement agreement or starting a civil claim. A free helpline call is a starting point, not representation for the whole dispute.

Workplace bullying: questions people ask

Is there a Bullying at Work Act in the UK?

There is no single bullying claim you can bring just because behaviour is called bullying. In Great Britain, the Equality Act 2010 may cover discrimination or harassment; the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 may cover a sufficiently serious course of conduct. Dismissal and health-and-safety law may also matter. Northern Ireland uses separate discrimination legislation and its own harassment Order.

Can you sue for bullying at work without discrimination?

Possibly, but you need another legal basis. A sufficiently serious course of harassment may justify a civil claim without a protected-characteristic link. An employee who resigns in response to a fundamental employer breach may have a constructive dismissal claim. The tests, service requirements and deadlines differ. Get advice before resigning or starting proceedings.

How do you prove workplace bullying if nobody witnessed it?

Keep a dated account of the words or conduct and save relevant messages, emails, rotas and appraisals lawfully. Record changes after you complain and the effect on your work or health. Those are evidence to discuss with your adviser, not a guarantee of winning. A GP record does not by itself prove who caused an illness. Do not wait for a witness or a perfect file before checking your deadline.

Must you finish a grievance before contacting Acas?

No. An internal grievance or appeal does not stop the tribunal clock. Notify Acas in time if a GB tribunal claim is possible; notify the LRA for a NI claim. You can keep seeking a safe internal resolution at the same time.

Can you bring a union official if you are not a member?

At a qualifying grievance or disciplinary hearing, you can reasonably request an eligible union official even if you do not belong to that union. The union does not have to supply one. The hearing right is not an automatic right to a union lawyer for the entire dispute.

Does one incident count as bullying or harassment?

It can. Acas recognises one-off bullying, and one incident can meet the Equality Act harassment test. A civil claim based on a course of conduct under the Protection from Harassment Act needs at least two occasions and must meet the substantive harassment test.

Sources

1. Bullying at work, Acas
2. Equality Act 2010, section 26, legislation.gov.uk
3. Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, Acas
4. Employment Relations Act 1999, section 10, legislation.gov.uk
5. Employment Relations (NI) Order 1999, article 12, legislation.gov.uk
6. Employment tribunal time limits, Acas
7. Early conciliation, Acas
8. Early Conciliation, Labour Relations Agency
9. Constructive dismissal, Acas
10. Protection from Harassment Act 1997, section 3, legislation.gov.uk
11. Equality Act 2010, section 124A, legislation.gov.uk
12. Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2026, legislation.gov.uk
13. Vento bands: ninth addendum, Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
14. Employment Rights Act timetable, GOV.UK
15. Constructive dismissal, nidirect
16. New TUC poll: 2 in 3 young women have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work, TUC/Opinium
17. Freedom from Fear survey 2025, Usdaw