Free Checker Launched Ahead of New Anti Harassment Rules – Businesses Urged to Act Before 30 Oct Deadline

Businesses across the UK are running out of time to prepare for the new legal requirement to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, coming into force on 30 October. In response, OnesourceHR has launched a free Reasonable Steps Checker, designed to act as a first port of call for employers who need to quickly understand whether they’re ready, and where they may be at risk of falling foul of the changes.

Over recent months, HR teams and business leaders have repeatedly reported uncertainty about what “all reasonable steps” actually mean in practice. Many organisations say they are unsure whether their current policies, reporting routes, training, risk assessments or evidence processes are sufficient, or how to demonstrate compliance if challenged. The stakes are high: breaching the preventative duty could lead to a tribunal uplift of up to 25%, and the October changes also introduce new protections around third‑party harassment, making being prepared even more critical.

The Reasonable Steps Checker was created specifically to address this gap. It gives employers a clear, structured way to assess their current level of preparedness and identify where action is still needed, turning a complex legal duty into something practical, measurable and easy to act on.

The tool takes around five minutes to complete and asks 17 questions across 10 core areas of prevention, including policy, risk assessment, reporting routes, training, handling disclosures, third‑party harassment, monitoring and evidence.

Employers receive a score out of 34, a readiness band, and a simple red‑amber‑green breakdown showing where they are strong and where gaps remain, giving them a clear starting point for prioritising action before the deadline.

Chloe Wallace, Founder of OnesourceHR, said: “We built the Reasonable Steps Checker because so many employers were telling us they didn’t know whether they were genuinely ready for the new duty. Businesses are running out of time, and the risk of being unprepared is real. The legislation is clear but translating it into day‑to‑day practice can feel overwhelming. The checker gives organisations a really simple starting point to see where they’re strong, where the gaps are, and what to focus on next or strengthen. It’s free, quick, and is designed to genuinely help businesses get this right.”

Early feedback shows the tool is already prompting organisations to review policies, update risk assessments and strengthen reporting routes. Several employers have also used the results to open internal conversations about areas where confidence was lower.