John Tanner, an employment solicitor at the AOP, outlines the employment law changes increasing employer obligations to protect employees from harassment
This year brings significant changes to employment law, and the AOP’s employment law team has been updating its resources for members in line with developments.
Employers have increased obligations to protect their employees from harassment as part of legislative changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Since 6 April 2026, reporting sexual harassment explicitly falls within the scope of whistleblower protection.
This means workers are protected from detriment where they make a complaint that sexual harassment has occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur at work.
Further legislative developments will take effect in October and will see significant changes in protection from harassment.
From October 2026, the Equality Act 2010 provisions in relation to sexual harassment will be strengthened so that employers will have to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment at work.
Employers can already be liable for harassment of staff by colleagues. Protection from harassment will extend to the introduction of third-party harassment, which means that employers can now be liable for harassment of their employees by patients, contractors and visitors.
This is a very significant change which applies to all types of harassment under the Equality Act 2010.
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