Employment law updates, without the jargon.
Employment law is continually evolving, and understanding what has changed and what is coming next can be difficult when you are already managing a busy organisation. I provide these updates as a single reliable place to track important developments, key implementation dates, and the practical steps you may need to take.
The aim is to help you prepare in good time, remain compliant and approach change with confidence.
Clear, practical updates for people responsible for people.
What I’ll cover:
I’ll cover major developments in UK employment law and people practice, including new legislation, changes to existing employment rights, and key implementation dates. I’ll also highlight developments affecting areas such as contracts, policies, pay, family leave, sickness absence, equality, recruitment, dismissal and managing people fairly.
The page will cover the latest updates helping you understand what applies now and what that should be on your radar.
Who the updates are for:
These updates are for employers, leaders, and managers who need a clear, accessible overview of employment law developments without wading through lengthy legal guidance.
How often I’ll update the page:
Turning legal changes into practical action:
Knowing that the law is changing is only the starting point. Get in touch and I’ll explain what each development could mean for your organisation and identify the practical steps you may need to consider.
Latest Updates
From October 2026
As part of the Employment Rights Act 2025:
1st October
- The time limit for employees to bring a claim to a tribunal will be increased from three to six months
- Anyone who is classed as working in the name of the business will need to have a right to work check carried out. This includes contractors and subcontractors.
30th October
- Requirement to inform workers of their right to join a trade union (UPDATE: Delayed until January 2027)
- Requirement for employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
- Obligation for employers to not permit the harassment of their employees by third parties.
- Strengthening of trade unions’ right of access and recognition processes.
- Introduction of new rights and protections for trade union representatives.
- Extension of the protections against detriments for taking industrial action.
- Introduction of regulations to establish the Fair Pay Agreement Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.
By the end of 2026
- Tightening of tip laws.
Due in 2027
1st January
- Reduction of the two-year service requirement to six months for ordinary unfair dismissal claims from 1 January 2027. This will have retrospective effect, so all employees with six months’ service or more at that date will have unfair dismissal protection.
- Compensation limits in unfair dismissal cases will be removed, so there will no longer be an upper maximum limit of 52 weeks’ pay or £118,223.
- Restrictions on the use of fire and re-hire unless in limited circumstances.
The following changes will be brought in by the Employment Rights Act:
- Requirement for employers to explain why it was reasonable to refuse a flexible working request.
- Introduction of regulations to specify steps that are to be deemed as “reasonable”, to determine whether an employer has taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.
- Requirement to offer zero hour, low hour and agency workers a guaranteed-hours contract reflecting their usual working hours and notice or compensation for changes to shifts.
- Introduction of unpaid bereavement leave, and the extension of parental bereavement leave criteria to cover miscarriages before the 24th week of pregnancy.
- Introduction of new collective consultation thresholds in collective redundancy situations.
- Extension of the rights and protections for pregnant workers.
- Introduction of an industrial relations framework and blacklisting provisions.
- Tighter regulation of umbrella companies.
- Mandatory gender pay gap and menopause action plans.