Workplace sexual harassment and third-party harassment

What's changing

In October 2024, the Worker Protection Act 2023 came into force, requiring employers to anticipate the risk of sexual harassment occurring and take reasonable steps to prevent it. The Employment Rights Act 2025 contains measures to strengthen these protections, which will come into force from 30 October 2026.

Employers will be expected to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of their employees, and will be obliged not to permit third parties to harass their employees. These changes will help make workplaces safer for everyone.

Key changes

  • Employers must now take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of their employees. This is a change from the current obligation which requires employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of their employees. 
  • Employers are obliged not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties, for example, customers and clients.

How to prepare

Clear guidance for employers will be published in advance of the new legislation coming into force.

In the meantime, employers should refer to existing technical guidance from EHRC on sexual harassment and harassment at work.opens www.equalityhumanrights.com in a new tab

EHRC also have advice on:

Further information is available on the Acas website, including:

Where these changes apply

These measures apply to England, Wales and Scotland, but not to Northern Ireland, where equality and discrimination law is devolved.

More information
For more information visit our factsheet on sexual harassment protections.opens assets.publishing.service.gov.uk in a new tab

This page will be updated when further guidance is available.

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