Harassment prevention needed a route that worked in practice

The duty that started in 2024

The government’s commencement announcement described a proactive duty to anticipate risks and take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. A breach could lead to an uplift of up to 25% in compensation in relevant cases. Updated Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance accompanied the change.

The operative phrase in October 2024 was reasonable steps. The later requirement to take all reasonable steps and the additional third-party provisions commenced separately in October 2026. Historical articles and training records need that distinction, particularly when an organisation is reviewing what information it issued at a particular time.

Can a concern reach the right person?

An employee working at a client site may not know whether a concern should go to the site manager, their employer or a recruitment contact. Uncertainty can be worse outside ordinary office hours. A prevention process should give clear routes and explain who takes responsibility for escalating a report.

Recruitment administration can help make those routes visible, but it should not turn a sensitive complaint into a routine service ticket. The person handling a concern needs the appropriate remit and training. Broadly copying a message to several shared inboxes can increase exposure without making the response more accountable.

Ask a placement coordinator to locate the approved contact information during a rehearsal. Difficulty finding it is a practical defect worth resolving before a real report.

Coordinate an employer-led prevention plan

Key Med Solutions can support approved onboarding communications, maintain escalation contacts and help track whether required briefings or training invitations have been completed. The employer, with appropriate specialist support, should decide the prevention measures, risk assessment and response to individual concerns.

For staffing agencies, a useful handover can identify the responsible employer contact, the relevant client contact and the route used outside normal hours. Those details should be checked when a placement changes location or manager. A familiar client name does not guarantee that every contact and process remains current.

The October 2024 lesson is to test the usability of prevention arrangements. Can someone find help, and does the receiving person know what to do next? Key Med can assist with the surrounding records and coordination, while investigations, legal interpretation and protective decisions remain with the employer and qualified advisers.