Third-Party Harassment

What the Law RequiresThe law (as of 30 October 2026) states that an employer may be liable if a third-party harasses an employee in the course of their work and the employer has failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent it. This applies to sexual harassment and harassment related to a relevant protected characteristic.The change was made through the Employment Rights Act 2025, which amends the Equality Act 2010.This is not limited to sexual harassment. It can include harassment related to a relevant protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, such as:SexSexual orientationRaceReligion or beliefGender re-assignmentAgeDisability.Pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnership are protected characteristics but behaviour linked to this is not considered as harassment.…