What Employers Need to Know
October 2026 is shaping up to be another important month for UK employers.
As the Employment Rights Act 2025 continues to be implemented, several significant changes are coming into force that will affect how businesses manage employee relations, workplace harassment, trade union rights and potential Employment Tribunal claims.
For SMEs in particular, the changes are a timely reminder that good HR isn’t simply about having policies sitting in a folder somewhere.
Employers increasingly need to be able to demonstrate what they have done, why they have done it and how they have communicated it to their people.
So, what’s changing in October – and what should employers be doing now?
1 October 2026: Employment Tribunal time limits increase
One of the first changes takes effect on 1 October 2026, when the time limit for bringing most Employment Tribunal claims increases from three months to six months.
For employers, this potentially extends the period during which an employment dispute could develop into a Tribunal claim.
It also makes good HR record-keeping even more important.
Six months after an employee relations issue, will you still have easy access to:
Notes from meetings and conversations?
Copies of the policies in force at the time?
Emails and correspondence?
Evidence of the decisions made and the reasons behind them?
Training records?
Documentation showing that a fair process was followed?
Clear, contemporaneous records can be invaluable if an employment decision is challenged later.
What should employers do?
Review how employee relations matters are documented and where records are stored. Managers should also understand the importance of keeping appropriate notes rather than relying on memory.
30 October 2026: Stronger duty to prevent sexual harassment
From 30 October 2026, the existing duty on employers to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment will become a requirement to take “all reasonable steps”.
This is an important distinction.
The focus is increasingly on employers taking a proactive and preventative approach, rather than simply responding appropriately after an incident has occurred.
What constitutes “all reasonable steps” will depend on the organisation, including its size, sector and the nature of the work being undertaken.
However, employers should be considering areas such as:
Appropriate anti-harassment policies
Regular and meaningful training
Training specifically for managers
Clear and trusted reporting routes
Assessing workplace harassment risks
Responding appropriately when concerns are raised
Monitoring whether preventative measures are actually working
Simply having an Equal Opportunities or Anti-Harassment Policy is unlikely to demonstrate, on its own, that an employer has taken all reasonable steps.
30 October 2026: Protection from third-party harassment
Employers will also have greater responsibilities in relation to harassment by third parties.
This could include harassment from customers, clients, suppliers, contractors or members of the public.
That makes this particularly relevant to businesses where employees regularly interact with people outside their own organisation.
Employers should think about where the risks could arise – for example:
Customer-facing environments
Client meetings
Networking and business events
Conferences and exhibitions
Work-related social events
Site visits
Business travel
Online or digital interactions
Your people need to know that inappropriate behaviour from a customer or client does not simply have to be tolerated because they are commercially important to the business.
There should be a clear process for reporting concerns and managers should know how to respond.
30 October 2026: New trade union rights
A package of trade union reforms is also due to take effect from 30 October 2026.
Among the changes, employers will have a new duty to provide workers with a written statement informing them of their right to join a trade union.
This information will need to be provided at the start of employment alongside the written statement of employment particulars, with further detail on exactly how and when the information must be provided being set out in regulations.
This means employers should be prepared to review their:
New starter documentation
Contracts and written statements
Onboarding processes
Employee communications
Independent trade unions will also gain strengthened rights to request access to workplaces to communicate with workers, including both physical and digital access.
For employers covered by the new provisions, having a clear internal process for receiving, escalating and responding to requests will be important.
What about changes to tipping?
Changes to tipping legislation have also been expected during 2026.
However, following the Government's latest implementation timetable, these are now expected by the end of 2026, rather than specifically on 1 October.
Employers in hospitality and other sectors where tips are relevant should therefore continue to keep an eye on developments and be ready to review their tipping policies and consultation arrangements once the final implementation details are confirmed.
What should employers be doing now?
The October changes shouldn't be viewed as something to deal with at the end of the month.
Now is the time to review whether your existing HR framework is ready.
We recommend employers consider:
1. Reviewing your HR policies
In particular, look at harassment, sexual harassment, equal opportunities, employee relations and any relevant trade union provisions.
2. Reviewing your harassment risk assessment
Consider where sexual or third-party harassment could realistically occur within your organisation and what preventative measures you currently have in place.
3. Checking manager training
Managers are often the first people to receive a complaint or spot inappropriate behaviour. They need to know what to do next.
4. Reviewing employee communications
Make sure employees understand expected standards of behaviour, how to raise a concern and where they can find relevant policies.
5. Checking your record-keeping
With Employment Tribunal time limits increasing, good documentation and HR records become even more valuable.
6. Reviewing onboarding documentation
Prepare for the new requirement to inform workers about their right to join a trade union.
Download our free October 2026 Employment Law Changes guide
We’ve created a practical Haus of HR October 2026 Employment Law Changes Guide to help employers understand the key changes and identify the actions they should be considering.
Keep a copy for reference, share it with your managers or use it as a starting point for reviewing your current HR arrangements.
Need help getting your business ready? You don’t have to navigate the changes alone.
At Haus of HR, we provide practical, commercial HR support to SMEs and growing businesses, helping employers stay compliant while creating workplaces where people can thrive.
We can support you with:
HR policy reviews and updates
Contracts and onboarding documentation
Sexual harassment prevention and HR risk reviews
Manager training and guidance
Employee relations processes
HR documentation and record-keeping
Ongoing ad hoc or retained HR support
If you're unsure whether your current policies and processes are ready for October 2026, get in touch and we can help you identify what needs attention.
This article provides general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Employment law requirements can depend on individual circumstances and further regulations and guidance may be published as implementation dates approach.
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