GB Employer Duty to Prevent Sexual Harassment Expands Oct. 30
Great Britain's Employment Rights Act 2025 further increases the duty on employers to prevent workplace sexual harassment from Oct. 30, 2026, prompting policy, training and documentation reviews.
From 30 October 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 further increases the burden on employers in Great Britain to prevent workplace sexual harassment, according to a McGuireWoods alert. The alert frames the change as added pressure on employers without setting out the operative detail, so the precise scope of the duty, the standard of prevention it demands, and the enforcement route remain unconfirmed in the source material and should be verified against the statutory text and any published guidance.
The practical significance is that a statutory prevention duty shifts the focus from post-complaint response to what preventive steps an employer can evidence in advance. That bears on policy design, training, investigation records and the record available if a harassment claim or regulatory inquiry follows, and it affects both defence posture and internal compliance review.
Immediate steps for GB employers: audit existing harassment prevention policies against the new duty, confirm coverage extends to agency, contractor and gig workers as applicable, refresh training and reporting channels, and document risk assessments. Watch for commencement regulations and any published enforcement guidance from the responsible authority.