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From October 2026, employers will be expected to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, while protections will also extend to harassment involving customers, clients and other third parties.
Employers will need to demonstrate that they are actively identifying and addressing workplace harassment risks when tougher legal duties take effect on 30 October 2026.
From that date, organisations must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment under changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025. The duty to prevent harassment will also extend to conduct by third parties, including customers, clients and service users.
For many organisations, the reforms will require a shift from responding to incidents after they occur towards identifying and managing risks before employees experience harm.
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