Third-party harassment in bars

From 30 October 2026, employers have a duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of staff — and this specifically extends to harassment by third parties such as customers, not just colleagues. Bars and pubs, where staff deal directly with the public in a licensed, sometimes late-night environment, are squarely in scope.

Reasonable steps typically means a written policy, staff training, a reporting route that staff will actually use, and a management response when an incident is reported — not just a line in the handbook.