Raising the bar: what the new harassment reforms mean for employers

In October, further reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025 will extend employers’ obligations to prevent harassment at work in two important ways.

First, the duty to prevent sexual harassment will be strengthened, requiring employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent the harassment of their workers whilst at work. Second, workers will gain a new right to bring a tribunal claim against their employer where they are harassed by a third party in the course of their work and the employer has failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent the harassment.

If you’re wondering what these changes will mean in practice and what your organisation should be doing ahead of October, you are warmly invited to join us for this online webinar discussion to find out more.

What to expect

Adopting a panel format, we’ll explore the practical challenges employers are likely to face and the steps you can take now to prepare with confidence.

Alongside an overview of the reforms, we’ll discuss:

• Understanding harassment – what behaviours can amount to harassment (and which may not).
• Risk assessments – why they matter, what they should cover, how to approach them and what to record.
• ‘All’ reasonable steps – what this change might mean in practice, how the strengthened duty raises the bar, example steps and how to evidence compliance.
• Third-party harassment – identifying and managing risk in customer, supplier and other third-party interactions, exploring the potential for collaboration with key third-party relationships and understanding what this new worker protection means for your organisation as a third party.
• NDAs and confidentiality – what might change in 2027.

There will also be an opportunity to put your questions to our speakers during the webinar via the online Q&A function.

If there is a particular issue you would like us to address during the session, please send your question in advance to [email protected].

Appreciating this event is happening in high summer, you will also be able to watch this webinar discussion on demand after the live broadcast. To automatically receive a link to the online recording, please register through the link.

Audience

This webinar discussion is designed for human resources professionals, in-house lawyers, and those with responsibility for HR matters within their organisation.

Cost

Free of charge.

Webinar details

• Event date: 18 Aug 2026
• Event time: 12.00 – 13.00
• Event location: Online webinar discussion