Employers are being urged to review their policies, risk assessments and procedures following new employment legislation being introduced which could make them liable for harassment of their staff by third parties.

The changes, introduced as part of the Employment Rights Act 2025, came into force on 30 October 2026 and extend protection to employees who are harassed by people they encounter through their work, including customers, contractors and members of the public.

LCF Works, Harrogate law firm LCF Law’s specialist employment law and HR advice package, is working with businesses across numerous industries to help them understand and comply with the changes.

Employment law adviser Brendan Bah, from LCF Law and LCF Works, explained: “Until now, employers could be liable where an employee faced harassment from one of their colleagues, and employers already have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

“However, since 30 October, employers must also take all reasonable steps to prevent their employees being harassed by third parties. This means employers need to consider much more carefully the people their employees encounter as part of their work and the circumstances in which those interactions take place.

“Crucially, the new protection covers more than just sexual harassment. It applies to harassment related to any of the nine protected characteristics defined under the Equality Act 2010, including race, age, gender and religion, meaning the...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi4gFBVV95cUxNendad2VxS2NMTi1UTGtqNy1H...