A CONFERENCE to help reduce the misery of people being bullied and harassed at work is being held in Bromsgrove this Friday.

It is being organised by ACAS, the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, and aims to show what employers can do to help staff who are being bullied and what they should do to look after their employees.

The conference takes place at Jarvis Perry Hall Hotel, Kidderminster Road, from 9.15am to 1pm.

Last year, the Birmingham tribunal, which deals with cases from across the West Midlands, received 1,015 complaints from people who said they had been the victims of discrimination, compared to 940 in 1999.

The tribunal received a total of 4,155 complaints for unfair dismissal.

Conference organiser Malcolm Boswell said: "The number of people going to employment tribunals because of bullying and harassment is growing as more and more employees are becoming aware of their legal rights and their employers' obligations."

The fee is £82.25 per delegate including VAT and refreshments. To book a place call Carl Morgan on 0121 452 7942.