Flexible Working Consultation Opens Under ERA 2025
Flexible working position under the Employment Rights Act 2025 The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a revised framework for handling flexible working requests. The legislation moves the regime away from a purely request-based model and towards a more structured decision-making process. Provision is made for employers to consult with employees before refusing a […]
Conflicts of Interest at Work Explained | Meaning & Examples
In this guide for employers, we consider the risks associated with conflicts of interest at work, and the steps you can take to manage conflicts of interest and to mitigate legal and commercial risk. What are conflicts of interest at work? A conflict of interest arises where an employee’s personal interests are at […]
Casual Worker 2026: UK Employer Compliance Guide
“Casual worker” is one of those labels that feels operationally useful but legally it is close to meaningless. UK employment law does not recognise “casual worker” as a standalone status. What matters is the individual’s employment status in law (employee, worker, or genuinely self-employed) and the reality of the working relationship, not what the contract […]
Notice to Employees When Selling a Business (TUPE)
Selling a business involves multiple, complex obligations and considerations, including how you manage and support your workforce through the process. The following guide for employers examines the rules relating to employee rights on the asset sale of a company — including how much notice to give employees when selling a business, together with advice and […]
Equality Act 2010: 2026 Employer Duties & Discrimination Law
The Equality Act 2010 remains one of the most operationally significant pieces of UK employment legislation for employers because it regulates not only overt discriminatory decisions but also routine HR practices that unintentionally disadvantage protected groups. In practice, most Equality Act exposure does not come from “bad actors”. It comes from inconsistent management behaviour, poorly […]
Smokers’ Rights at Work UK: What Employers Must Know
Discussions around “smokers’ rights at work” are often framed as though smoking carries legal protections similar to other personal characteristics. In reality, UK employment law takes a very different approach. Smoking is heavily regulated, not protected, and employers are placed under clear statutory duties to prevent exposure to tobacco smoke in most work-related settings. For […]
Alternatives to Pay Rises 2026: UK Employer Legal Guide
Employers across the UK are under sustained pressure to control employment costs while still retaining skilled and productive workforces. Rising inflation, higher National Insurance contributions, increased pension costs and post-pandemic market uncertainty have made routine pay rises commercially unsustainable for many organisations. At the same time, employers remain exposed to legal, operational and reputational risk […]
How Many Sick Days Before Disciplinary UK? 2026
How many sick days before disciplinary action?” is one of the most common, and most legally misunderstood, questions employers ask when managing attendance problems. The assumption behind the question is that UK employment law sets a numerical threshold after which disciplinary action becomes lawful or safe. It does not. UK employment law does not impose […]
Time Off Work for IVF 2026: UK Employer Legal Guide
Time off work for IVF is one of the most commonly misunderstood areas of UK employment law. Employers are frequently told that there is “no legal right” to IVF leave, yet tribunal claims arising from the mishandling of IVF-related absences continue to increase. The risk does not arise because the law grants a specific entitlement […]
Social Media Screening UK: 2026 Employer Legal Guide
Social media screening has become an embedded but poorly governed part of modern recruitment. For many employers, checking a candidate’s online presence feels informal, low-risk and even prudent. In reality, it is one of the most legally exposed recruitment practices currently in use, precisely because it sits outside traditional, documented hiring controls. Unlike structured interviews, […]