UK Employers Face October 2026 Harassment Duties as ERA 2025 Restores Third-Party Liability
Updated
Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Aug 6
UK Employers Face October 2026 Harassment Duties as ERA 2025 Restores Third-Party Liability
2 articles · Updated · GamesIndustry.biz · Aug 6
Summary
From October 2026, UK employers will again be liable for harassment by non-employees and must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment, sharply expanding duties under ERA 2025.
For games companies, the change reaches beyond staff to publishers, contractors, freelancers and players, pushing studios to assess higher-risk roles, set partner conduct standards and strengthen reporting and support systems.
April 6, 2026 already widened whistleblowing protection to disclosures about sexual harassment, giving workers another route to raise complaints and potentially making claims more complex and costly to defend.
A further 2027 reform would curb confidentiality clauses covering harassment or discrimination allegations; with tribunal claim windows also doubling to 6 months in October 2026, more cases could reach full hearings.