Sexual Harassment – Zero Tolerance
The sexual harassment provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) take effect on 30 October 2026. They strengthen the protections introduced by the Worker Protection Act 2023, which required employers to anticipate the risk of sexual harassment and take reasonable steps to prevent it.
Under the ERA 2025, employers will be expected to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of employees and will be required not to allow third parties to harass their employees. The Act also expressly recognises sexual harassment as a qualifying disclosure under whistleblowing law.
These changes are intended to make workplaces safer and provide workers with stronger protection.
Third-party harassment is harassment by someone outside the organisation who has a connection with it, rather than by a colleague or supervisor. This may include:
· customers
· clients
· contractors
· service providers.
Pineview will not tolerate any harassment of our staff, whether sexual or otherwise.
We advise all tenants, customers, clients, partners, contractors and service providers that every allegation will be addressed robustly by:
- taking it seriously;
- investigating it promptly;
- maintaining confidentiality where possible;
- encouraging anyone making an allegation to involve Police Scotland; and
- listening to the person accused and giving them an opportunity to respond.
Everyone is reminded that the unwanted effect of words or actions matters, regardless of intent. “Banter” is not an excuse, and sarcasm should be avoided.
Although this is not part of the legislative change, Pineview also makes clear that our people must not sexually harass any tenant, customer, client, partner, contractor or service provider. Please contact me immediately if you believe this has happened.
Thank you in advance for treating these matters seriously.
Joyce Orr, Director