While many are focusing on ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment, another major Employment Rights Act change takes effect on the same day: new employer liability for harassment of employees by third parties.
This could have an even wider impact on many workplaces. The protection covers many more protected characteristics and means any third party could create legal risk for employers. For HR leaders, the challenge is giving staff and managers clear rules for responding to harassment, understanding what reasonable steps should be taken to prevent it, and how the legal obligation works alongside protecting both staff and third parties from discrimination and harassment.
From managing inappropriate comments from neurodivergent third parties to examples of inexpensive steps to prevent harassment, we’re here to help you get ready.
VinciWorks experts delivered a practical session on preparing for the new third-party harassment rules ahead of the 30 October deadline.
What this session covered
- What the new third-party harassment provisions require from 30 October
- Which forms of harassment are covered and who counts as a third party
- Identifying high-risk interactions with third parties and what reasonable steps should be taken to prevent it
- Disability and neurodiversity harassment, including where inappropriate behaviour relates to the disability or neurodivergence of an employee or third party
- Handling incidents where the alleged harasser may themselves be disabled or neurodivergent
- Updating risk assessments, policies, contracts, reporting routes and manager training to demonstrate all reasonable steps
