From 1 October 2026, employers face the next round of Employment Rights Act reforms. Third-party harassment — from a customer, client or supplier — can now create liability from a single incident if you haven’t taken all reasonable steps to prevent it. The preventative duty on sexual harassment, introduced in October 2024, rises from “reasonable steps” to “all reasonable steps”, though the regulations spelling out exactly what that means haven’t landed yet. Be ready to show a risk assessment, a policy covering third parties, a reporting route and documented training.
There’s also a new duty to tell workers about their right to join a trade union, with stronger workplace access rights for unions and protections for reps — update your written statements, induction packs and handbook. Tipping rules are tightening too, so check your tipping policy still matches practice. The same documented systems that protect you here also make your business easier to hand over one day.
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Six short reads each week on tax, Wills, family wealth and running a business, from John Ireland. Since 1996, three decades of protecting families.