Employers must prevent harassment at work parties under new rules
The article reports that new rules under the Employment Rights Act 2025 require employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent harassment, including at work-related social events. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says risks may be greater when staff socialise outside working hours or drink alcohol, and plans to issue guidance on employers’ responsibilities.
From Friday, employers may be held liable for harassment by workers and third parties such as customers, contractors or members of the public if they have not taken the required steps to prevent it. Claims could lead to employment tribunals and uncapped compensation; the protected characteristics covered include age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. The article also says unions will gain new workplace access powers, with fines of up to £500,000 for businesses that refuse to engage.
In short
- Employers must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent harassment.
- Work parties and customer interactions are among the risks covered.
- New union access rules include fines of up to £500,000.
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The case for
Employers have a duty to provide a safe, respectful environment, and that responsibility should extend to work-related events where staff may face harassment. Requiring reasonable preventive steps and allowing claims when employers fail to take them can encourage practical safeguards and give workers meaningful protection, including against harassment by third parties.
The case against
Employers can reasonably be expected to prevent harassment at work, but extending liability to social events outside working hours may leave unclear what steps are sufficient and how far an employer’s responsibility reaches. The risk of uncapped compensation could encourage burdensome rules or discourage informal staff gatherings, particularly for smaller organisations, while guidance will be important to make the standard workable.
Explained simply
Workplace harassment law concerns unwanted conduct linked to characteristics protected by equality rules, such as race, sex, disability, age or religion. Employers have duties to help prevent this conduct, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission oversees guidance on how those duties apply.
Employers are responsible for the work environment, which can include events connected to work outside normal hours. Harassment may involve colleagues or people such as customers and contractors, so employers’ prevention measures can matter when a complaint is considered.
A worker who brings a successful harassment claim may take it to an employment tribunal, which can award compensation. The rules also affect how unions engage with employers, giving unions new powers to access workplaces.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Bosses told to act like the ‘fun police’ at boozy work parties after Labour’s ‘banter ban’ comes into force”.