New UK Employer Duties on Harassment, Unions Start Oct. 2026

A significant new phase of the UK's Employment Rights Act 2025 is set to take effect in October 2026, introducing substantial new obligations for employers. The changes include an enhanced, proactive duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. This marks a shift from a reactive to a preventative compliance model. The reforms also signal the potential reintroduction of employer liability for harassment of their employees by third parties, such as clients or customers, which would significantly broaden the scope of an employer's legal responsibilities. Additionally, the act will implement wide-ranging provisions related to trade unions, further altering the labor relations landscape. For corporate counsel, these developments necessitate a preemptive review of existing anti-harassment policies, workplace training modules, and incident reporting mechanisms. UK employers should prepare for heightened compliance standards and increased litigation risk, particularly those in service industries with extensive public interaction. The key action is to ensure robust, preventative frameworks are in place before the October 2026 deadline.