Sexual harassment added to whistleblowing protections
Employees who report sexual harassment at work will gain stronger legal protections from 6 April 2026.
Currently, workers are protected under the Equality Act 2010, but sexual harassment isn’t explicitly covered under whistleblowing rules, so employees often have to link complaints to wider legal or health and safety issues to gain protection.
The new law removes that barrier by classifying sexual harassment as a protected disclosure, giving workers stronger protections, including safeguards from retaliation and day-one unfair dismissal rights.
The changes come alongside wider reforms, including a stronger requirement for employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent harassment and new liability for third-party incidents.