New Sexual Harassment Laws - Hospitality
UK sexual harassment laws are changing on 30th October 2026: Is your hospitality venue ready?
When the imminent changes to UK sexual harassment laws come into force on 30th October 2026, your hospitality venue needs to be ready.
From bars, restaurants and cafes to hotels and event spaces, hospitality staff spend shifts in close, constant contact with the public, with little control over who walks through the door. This can quickly lead to problematic scenarios, especially when alcohol is involved.
From the 30th October 2026, one of the most significant recent reforms to UK employment law in recent times means the hospitality sector will feel a big impact on everyday practices.
Under the new changes, employers will have to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace; this is a significant step up from the current requirement of “reasonable steps”.
In addition, employers could face increased compensation for harassment of their staff by third parties.
As an employer, it will be your responsibility to demonstrate the proactive, comprehensive and ongoing prevention methods in place throughout your venue, rather than taking a reactive response after the incident. Alongside this, liability to protect employees will increase.
So, from wait staff to bartenders, how will this impact the hospitality industry?
Hospitality in the spotlight
Hospitality is in the spotlight for carrying added risk. This can be attributed to three major factors:
1. Constant, unscreened contact:
Hospitality staff cannot simply avoid difficult members of the public. Every shift brings fresh interactions with unknown customers, who may be under the influence of alcohol, creating unpredictable situations.
2. A young workforce with a high turnover
For many, hospitality is a first job or just a part-time role. This not only means inexperienced staff may not recognise inappropriate behaviour straight away or be scared to report incidents for fear of losing their job, but also a need for constant training. This demands extra steps to prevent interactions resulting in harassment.
3. Late nights and lone working
Shifts that run into the early hours and staff working alone or in small numbers can create situations where employees are pressured into tolerating inappropriate customer behaviour, combining to raise both the likelihood and difficulty of preventing incidents.
Add repeat-customer relationships, dress code pressures, and multi-employer sites to this list, and it's easy to see how the risks permeate at every level.
Getting ahead: Putting these changes into practice
The updated Government guidance isn’t expected until after the changes come into action, so currently employers in the hospitality sector are preparing for a standard that’s not yet fully defined. But existing guidance from the EHRC provides a minimum standard to implement:
• Bringing policies up to date, actively communicate them and make sure they’re easy for all staff to find.
• Providing meaningful, regular training and specific sessions for management and staff.
• Conducting risk assessments to identify environmental, cultural and operational risk factors, and make a plan to minimise these risks.
• Open reporting channels; employees must know how to report incidents, and feel comfortable doing so.
• Ensuring leadership accountability. Managers must be equipped to respond swiftly, appropriately and consistently.
• Embedding a culture with a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment and communicate the expected behaviours clearly.
The new sexual harassment laws don’t just impact front-of-house
The changes don’t just need to be implemented front-of-house. The high-pressure back-of-house areas, delivery drivers’ customer drop-off points and late night drinks amongst colleagues after a shift are all exposed to the same dynamic.
Given how fast the landscape is changing, and the uncertainty around specific wording, hospitality venue owners have to take specific employment law advice.
We’re here to help
Our employment law team have a wealth of hospitality industry experience so if you’d like some practical guidance, easy to take steps to prevent sexual harassment and proactive prevention tips, please contact us here or call us on 0114 266 6660.
