UK Film and TV Faces New Harassment Liability as Law Lands

Last Friday, a UK-wide anti-harassment law took effect, making employers liable for harassment of staff, cast, and crew by third parties. Companies must now take “all reasonable steps” to prevent such harassment, and claims can be filed up to six months after an incident. The legislation is part of the Labour government's Employment Rights Act, and officials say it gives victims stronger legal protections.

Big production houses and studios have been updating their policies ahead of the change, according to Deadline. But producers still have questions about how far their duty of care extends. Elizabeth Peyton-Jones, who runs The Talent Trust, said employers can no longer claim they can't control what other people do — their responsibility stretches beyond the set. Take wrap parties: informal events where outsiders are invited, stress and exhaustion are high. If someone speaks up months later and nothing was time-stamped, a company can't simply say it didn't know. It needs a way for people to raise concerns.

Deadline understands at least one major production outfit now factors wrap parties, late-night working, and hotel stays into its risk assessments. But other scenarios remain fuzzy — street vox pops, transport to and from set, or crew accompanying third parties for filming. Max Rumney, deputy CEO of producer trade body Pact, says members are confused about “where the buck stops” and he doesn't have all the answers from government. Pact's legal chief urged members to update anti-harassment and bullying policies to stay compliant. Training body ScreenSkills has updated its anti-bullying and harassment module, and an Acas survey found two-fifths of employers across all industries were unaware of the changes.

The law is technically in force, but detailed guidance won't arrive until early 2027. Deadline understands the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, and Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have been meeting trade associations, hosting webinars, and pushing employers to update policies. But the departments wouldn't be drawn on specific examples of when an employer would be liable. Big production groups say they're preparing but won't speak on the record. One HR executive at a major player said they'd updated contractual terms for future productions to account for the third-party law.

Small indies could face their own headaches. Many are one- or two-person operations without HR departments. Movies are often run by production outfits created just for that project and dissolved afterward. If an incident is reported months later, responsibility could fall on a company that no longer exists. But Pact's Rumney thinks bigger productions will be more problematic, arguing that small indies handle smaller productions well and know the drill.