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From 6 April 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 will introduce amendments to the Social Security (Contributions and Benefits) Act 1992 (SSCBA). Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) entitlement will become a “day one” right for all employed earners who are unable to work due to illness, with the removal of bot…
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Under Regulation 8 of the Fixed-Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, employees employed for four years or more under a series of successive fixed-term contracts become permanent employees unless the employer can justify the continued use of fixed-term contracts…
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A fixed-term or seasonal contract is a temporary employment contract with a defined start and end date. Although it does not provide permanent employment, it is still a valid contract of employment. Continuity of service refers to the length of uninterrupted employment with an employer. It is impor…
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Are the government looking to extend Right to Work checks beyond employees? The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 (the Act) received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025 and, when fully implemented, will result in the extension of Right to Work checks to various other working arrangements…
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Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002, employers are under statutory duties to protect workers from the health risks associated with hazardous substances. These substances can cause harm through inhalation, skin contact, ingestion or injection,…
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In its annual report published in November 2025, the Health and Safety Executive highlighted an increase in work-related stress, depression and anxiety cases. 964,000 cases (representing 52%) were reported compared with 750,000 the year before. The trend clearly shows that these cases are increasing…
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Hot desking policies are increasingly common, but they can present challenges where disabled employees are concerned. A recent Employment Tribunal case, McGrath v Bupa Insurance Services Limited, highlights the distinction between disability-related harassment and reasonable adjustments and offers u…
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Can an employer justify the dismissal of an employee for some other substantial reason (SOSR) linked to reputational risk where the employee’s partner, who is also employed by the same employer, commits an act of gross misconduct or a criminal offence? The Employment Tribunal (ET) has provided guid…
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In the case of Mr Alpha Anne and others v Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust [2026], the Employment Appeal Tribunal made an important judgment in relation to liability for TUPE and discrimination claims. In cases involving contracted employees who are employed by one emp…
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Employers often experience the theft of sensitive company information and data at the hands of an aggrieved employee during their employment or, particularly, after resigning. This can have serious consequences both for the business and the culprit. However, the exact impact depends on what informat…
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In cases of staggered redundancy dismissals, when is an employer required to carry out collective consultation with elected employee representatives or recognised trade union representatives? Under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, an employer is required…
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Further to our earlier news article, in which we highlighted that the Employment Rights Bill was finally approved by Parliament on 18 December 2025 and has now become the Employment Rights Act 2025, we previously explained some of the potential changes impacting employment law for employers. We now…
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In a recent case concerning a sexual harassment claim, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that the conduct must be “unwanted” and that the affected party’s response and timing of complaint are relevant factors. This was confirmed in Nunn v G & MJ Crouch and Sons Ltd (t/a Crouch Recovery)…
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Employers and HR practitioners should be aware that the Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act 2024 will come into effect from 29 December 2025. This marks an important change to parental rights. Fathers or partners of a mother or adopter whose child passes away during childbirth, or within a year of th…
Read moreThe House of Lords, on 16 December 2025, finally approved and decided on the definitive version of the Employment Rights Bill. This will now become the Employment Rights Act and receive Royal Assent, which is expected to take place before Christmas 2025. Following the House of Lords’ approval, the…
Read moreWhen health and safety is mentioned, people inevitably think that only employers and employees are affected. But have you considered the wider impact of serious health and safety incidents or fatalities? The impact is surprisingly wide. Who Can Be Affected by HS Incidents, Injuries or Fatalities? …
Read moreAre laws changing regarding businesses having to carry out greater checks on those providing services to them via umbrella companies? One of the outcomes of the recent Autumn Budget 2025 was the government confirming that from 6 April 2026, all end clients taking on workers via umbrella companies m…
Read moreOn 4 November 2025, new regulations came into force extending the ACAS early conciliation period from six weeks to 12 weeks. The reason for this is to reduce the strain on ACAS, which currently has a substantial backlog of cases. The new rules apply a maximum early conciliation period, but claims w…
Read moreThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics for 2024/25. Although the number of fatalities was slightly lower than last year, alarmingly, mental health-related conditions dominate the report. The report serves as a reminder that workplace safety remains a critical issue…
Read moreThe Government announced on 26 November 2025 that it has accepted the Low Pay Commission's recommendations for the NLW and NMW. Rate Category 2025–26 2026–27 Change National Living Wage (Age 21+) £12.21 £12.71 4.1% increase (£0.50) NMW Age 18–20 £10.00 £10.85 8.5% incre…
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