Employment law is changing fast, with some of the new Act already in force, and more on the way in October and January 2027.
(If this is the first you’re hearing about this, we need to have a conversation ASAP!)
One area long overdue for change is harassment, and the duty and responsibility employers have to prevent it from happening – you now need to prove you’ve taken all reasonable steps to stop it happening on your watch.
That means acting, not just waiting for something to happen and hoping for the best – because by then, it’ll be too late.
(If you don’t know what you need to do, hit reply and we can talk it through)
In addition, now we’ve established that you’ll be held accountable for the actions of the people within your workplace, it’s also a sensible time to reflect on your own behaviour, especially in light of my recent discovery.
I was renewing my employers’ liability insurance the other day, and came across a line, calmly articulated on page 4 of 7.
The gist?
Insurance will not pay out if an employer is accused of or sued for abuse or bullying.
Yep, that’s right – that expensive policy ain’t gonna bail you out.
It might be jarring to employers who believe that insurance should allow them to behave however they like, but we’re in 2026, and that behaviour just doesn’t fly these days, no matter how much money you throw at it.
The times they are a-changing; this is the moment to modify, improve and get on board. Before it’s too late.
