Naomi Long

The three separate guides offer practical support in circumstances where a member of staff becomes a victim of hate crime or witnesses a hate crime – one each for employers, managers and employees.

Justice minister Naomi Long said: “Hate crime in any form is unacceptable. Targeting a person because of who they are or what they believe – be it their race, religion, political belief, sexuality, gender identity or disability – is wrong, irrespective of where it takes place.

“My department has worked closely with the Labour Relations Agency to produce new guides to support staff who experience hate crime in their place of work and I would encourage all employers to make staff aware of them.”

The guides provide businesses of all sizes with information and resources in order to enable them to support staff who experience any form of hate crime. In addition, they will help to increase awareness of what constitutes a hate crime, how to report incidents and the support available.

Mrs Long added: “Everyone has a responsibility to understand what hate crime is and to seek to prevent it. If you see behaviour which you believe to be motivated by hate, and you want to reach out to help your colleague, these guides will advise you and help you to achieve that too.

“By increasing awareness of hate crime, highlighting the support available as well as helping you understand how to report it, we hope to reduce the number of victims.”