The Worker Protection Bill will have grave implications for #freedomofspeech in this country, as well as imposing huge compliance costs on Britain’s businesses. This week, the legislation reached second reading in the #houseoflords, and there were some terrific speeches. 
Clause 1 of the Bill imposes a duty on employers to take "all reasonable steps" to protect staff from overhearing upsetting remarks made by customers. As a publisher and museum trustee, Lord @IanStrathcarron was able to explain why this part of the Bill wouldn't work in practice.
If we were just talking about sexual harassment, that would be one thing, said Lord Moylan. But in an act of "overreach", the bill is attempting to extend third-party liability to every type of "unwanted conduct" prohibited by the Equality Act, including overheard comments.
And where the Equality Act chilled the workplace atmosphere, with people living in fear of saying the wrong thing and being reported to HR, the Earl of Leicester worried that the Worker Protection Bill would now spread that chill into places where people spend their leisure time.
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