Employment Case Law Update February 2026

Religion or belief discrimination Ngole v Touchstone Leeds (EAT) Mr Ngole applied for a social work position with Touchstone Leeds and received a conditional offer of employment. The organisation later became aware of online reporting reproducing historic Facebook posts in which he had expressed the orthodox Christian view that homosexuality is sinful. After […]
Phased Retirement in the UK: How It Works (2026)

Phased retirement is an approach that allows employees to move from full-time work to retirement gradually, rather than stopping work at a single point in time. This could be in the form of fewer working hours or responsibilities, or even a different role. Phased retirement is usually adopted where both employer and employee want a […]
UK Travel & Entry Rules for Russian Citizens (2026)

Russian citizens can travel to the UK, but a visa is required before departure. There is no general travel ban on Russian passport holders, although individual sanctions and standard immigration suitability checks may apply. This guide explains the current UK rules in 2026, including visa requirements, permitted activities and available work and family routes. […]
Can You Dismiss An Employee On Sick Leave?

Employers can lawfully dismiss an employee who is off sick, provided they have a potentially fair reason for dismissal, act reasonably in all the circumstances and follow a fair procedure. The following guide for employers on dismissal due to sickness absence looks at what amounts to potential grounds for dismissal in this context, from conduct […]
What are my Rights if a Grievance is Raised Against Me?

It is not uncommon for staff to raise a grievance about their managers, in some cases without just cause, although the employer is still expected to investigate any formal complaint fairly and proportionately. It is therefore important for managers to know their own employment rights in these circumstances, not only to help minimise the potential […]
Skilled Worker Change of Employment Rules 2026

A Skilled Worker change of employment is one of the most common and most misunderstood compliance risks under the UK sponsorship system. Many sponsored workers assume that moving roles within the same organisation, accepting a promotion or transferring to a related company within a group does not require Home Office approval. In practice, the Immigration […]