HR compliance pack
Since October 2024 UK employers have a positive duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work, and a tribunal can uplift compensation by up to 25% where they have not. Written policies, a reporting route and a training record are the evidence that the duty was met.
Core pack · 12 documents · 74 pages
The short answer
Since October 2024 UK employers have a positive duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work, and a tribunal can uplift compensation by up to 25% where they have not. Written policies, a reporting route and a training record are the evidence that the duty was met.
Who this pack is for
- Employers with a growing headcount and no written HR framework
- Managers running recruitment without a scoring process
- Businesses that have had a grievance and found nothing on file
- Anyone preparing for a redundancy or restructure
- HR administrators building a compliance file from scratch
Not for you if: You need help with a claim that has already been issued. Speak to an employment solicitor.
What it solves
A harassment complaint arrives and there is no policy or reporting route.
A recruitment decision is challenged and no interview notes exist.
A redundancy is planned with no selection criteria written down.
What the law requires
The duty to prevent sexual harassment
The Worker Protection Act 2023 introduced a proactive duty from October 2024. Reasonable steps means a policy, a way to report, training, and evidence that risks were assessed. The EHRC technical guidance sets out what tribunals look for.
Source: EHRC technical guidance on sexual harassment at work
Fair recruitment under the Equality Act
Selection decisions must be capable of explanation on non-discriminatory grounds. Scored interview notes held for at least six months are the practical defence, because the burden shifts to the employer once a claimant shows facts from which discrimination could be inferred.
Source: Equality Act 2010; EHRC employment statutory code
Redundancy needs a documented process
Objective selection criteria, individual consultation, and a search for alternative employment. Twenty or more proposed dismissals at one establishment triggers collective consultation with statutory minimum periods.
Source: GOV.UK redundancy; TULRCA 1992 s.188
What is in the pack
| ID | Document | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| HRC-01 | Recruitment and selection policyEHRC employment code | 6 |
| HRC-02 | Interview scoring template and notesEquality Act 2010 | 4 |
| HRC-03 | Equal opportunities and diversity policyEquality Act 2010 | 6 |
| HRC-04 | Reasonable adjustments procedureEHRC guidance | 5 |
| HRC-05 | Whistleblowing policyPublic Interest Disclosure Act 1998 | 6 |
| HRC-06 | Anti-bullying and harassment policyWorker Protection Act 2023 | 8 |
| HRC-09 | Redundancy selection matrixGOV.UK redundancy | 5 |
And five more: performance management and PIP, capability procedure, settlement agreement checklist, TUPE checklist, exit interview form.
How updates work
Every document carries a version number and a reviewed date. On the first Tuesday of each month the pack is checked against its primary sources. If anything has changed you receive the updated file and one line explaining what moved and why. If nothing has changed you receive an email saying so.
April and the Budget are the months when most figures move.
Questions
Does the harassment duty apply to small employers?
Yes. It applies to all employers. What counts as reasonable steps scales with size and resources, but having nothing written down is not defensible at any size.
Do I need to keep interview notes?
Keep them for at least six months, longer where a complaint is possible. Notes that show how each candidate scored against the same criteria are the point.
Is a settlement agreement template included?
A checklist is included. The agreement itself must be signed off by a relevant independent adviser to be binding, so we do not supply a draft agreement.
Can I use these alongside my existing contracts?
Yes. These are policies and procedures; they sit alongside the contracts in the employment essentials pack.
How is it delivered?
By email, as Word and PDF files, personalised with your company details.
Sources
Built from published UK primary sources only: EHRC technical guidance on sexual harassment at work, Equality Act 2010; EHRC employment statutory code, GOV.UK redundancy; TULRCA 1992 s.188. No secondary or aggregator sources are used.
Order the hr compliance pack, or ask about an association licence covering your whole membership.
Email support@kaeltripton.comThese documents are drafted from published UK primary sources and are a starting point you adapt to your own circumstances. They are not legal, tax or immigration advice, and documents you edit become your responsibility.