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 […]
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 […]
Wrongful Dismissal UK 2026: 2 Years, Notice & Compensation
Wrongful dismissal is a breach of contract claim arising where an employer terminates employment in breach of the employee’s contractual rights under the employment contract. In most cases, the breach relates to notice — either because no notice was given, insufficient notice was provided, or payment in lieu of notice was not lawfully made. Unlike […]
Unfair Dismissal UK: 2026 Rules & 2027 Changes
Section A: What Is Unfair Dismissal? Most employees have the statutory right not to be unfairly dismissed. Allegations of unfairness can be directed against employers for a number of reasons, with the grounds for dismissal, the way the decision was reached and the procedure used to bring the contract to an end all […]
Terminating an Employee with Mental Health Issues UK
Workplace mental health cases are increasing in frequency, complexity and legal sensitivity. For HR professionals and business owners, terminating an employee with mental health issues is rarely a straightforward capability decision. It sits at the intersection of unfair dismissal law, disability discrimination risk, health and safety duties and commercial sustainability. Handled correctly, dismissal for mental […]
UK Constructive Dismissal 2026: Claims, Rights & Examples
Constructive dismissal is one of the most legally complex and commercially sensitive areas of UK employment law. Unlike a standard dismissal, the employer does not terminate the contract. Instead, the employee resigns and alleges that they were entitled to do so because of the employer’s conduct. For employers, the risk lies in misunderstanding what amounts […]
Retirement Procedure for Employers UK 2026 Guide
At a time when people are living longer, and with cost of living pressures pushing more to work beyond pensionable retirement age, employers may be looking for ways to facilitate a fuller working life for their employees, both before any decision has been made to retire, and in the run up to retirement where the […]
SOSR Dismissal: What Is Some Other Substantial Reason?
To dismiss an employee lawfully, an employer must show a fair reason for dismissal. Under section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, there are five potentially fair reasons for dismissal: conduct, capability or performance, redundancy, breach of a statutory restriction or some other substantial reason (SOSR). An SOSR dismissal applies where the reason for […]
Dismissing an Employee 2026: UK Law, Process & Risks
Dismissing an employee is one of the highest-risk decisions an employer can make. Even where there are genuine performance issues, misconduct concerns or commercial pressures on the business, the legal framework governing dismissal in the UK is tightly regulated and heavily scrutinised by employment tribunals. What often exposes employers to claims is not the decision […]
Automatically Unfair Dismissal 2026 Explained | Meaning & Examples
British employment law draws a sharp distinction between ordinary unfair dismissal and dismissals that Parliament has treated as inherently unacceptable. Automatically unfair dismissal sits in the second category. It is not about whether the employer followed a textbook process or acted with good intentions. It is about whether the reason for dismissal falls within a […]