It feels as if we have been talking about it for a very long time, but today is the day: the Employment Rights Act 2025 brings into force today the enhanced duty on employers to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent harassment (rather than just ‘reasonable steps’ as was previously the case). The word ‘all’ is doing a great deal of heavy lifting, and we will have to see what the Tribunals determine is the limit of that significant ‘all’.   

In addition, the potential for employers to be liable for third party harassment is expressly ‘re-introduced’ and again employers must take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent it. 

And for those of you who may have missed it, there is a new Misogyny Fund and a National Taskforce for Tackling Misogyny. Ambitious initiatives no doubt, but hopefully there will be on going consideration of changes to the architecture of work and pregnancy. As a starter for 10: free childcare (or workplace creche facilities), and equality in paternity and maternity leave.