Managing Disciplinary And Grievance Matters With A Remote Workforce (Video)

In late January 2023, the UK Government published a draft Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-engagement.

The UK's right-to-work regime is undergoing a fundamental transformation that will extend compliance obligations far beyond traditional employment relationships. From 1 October 2026, businesses engaging contractors, agency workers, platform-based workers, and complex supply chains will face new liability risks that travel up entire contracting chains. Understanding these changes and implementing the required contractual terms, substitution controls, and identity verification systems is now critical for orga

The UK Government has delayed implementation of a new employer duty requiring workers to be informed of their trade union rights until January 2027, while also confirming that companies must use a standardised...

In the era of #MeToo, employers are under increasing pressure to stamp out sexual harassment in the workplace.

Recent UK employment law decisions have reshaped how employers must approach part-time worker protection, philosophical belief discrimination, freedom of speech in academic settings, and equal pay claims. These landmark cases establish new precedents for workplace policies, disciplinary procedures, and compensation structures that could significantly impact organizational practices.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents the most significant overhaul of UK employment law in a generation. Whilst much of the focus has been on day-one unfair dismissal rights, guaranteed hours, and changes to family-friendly rights, employers should not overlook the substantial implications for the use of fixed-term contracts.

The UK's illegal working regime has undergone its most significant expansion since inception, extending right to work obligations beyond traditional employment to encompass workers, individual subcontractors, and platform-based arrangements. A new "extended liability" framework now exposes businesses throughout supply chains to civil penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, even where they lack direct contractual relationships.

On 30 July 2026, Acas published a fully revised draft Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, marking the first comprehensive update since 2015. The proposed changes introduce significant new requirements around informal resolution, reasonable adjustments for disabled workers, and updated guidance on suspension, mediation, and the right to be accompanied at workplace meetings.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 has been described as the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. It contains a number of reforms, the breadth and complexity of which will have a significant impact on employers.

Workers have a statutory right to be accompanied at certain disciplinary and grievance hearings by a work colleague, trade union official or certified union representative.

The European Commission has published its Code of Practice on marking and labelling AI-generated content, helping businesses to meet new transparency duties under the EU AI Act.

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) introduces an important new compliance duty for businesses. From 19 June 2026, all organisations must have a clear and accessible process for handling data protection complaints.

Businesses and consumers have grown to love subscription models, though their reasons may differ. While these models offer convenience, they can be complicated and difficult to exit. This may lead to consumers paying for services they no longer want or use. The government is addressing this through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The new rules are expected to come into force in January 2027.

The UK’s last two Budgets have materially reshaped the tax treatment for sales to Employee Ownership Trusts (EOT), tightening requirements and shifting from a full tax exemption to a halved relief, while leaving the broader principles in place.

The Government has published its response to the 2025 consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain (“BNG”) for minor, medium, and brownfield development in England. The proposed package of targeted reforms are intended to reduce disproportionate cost and administrative burdens on developers while retaining the core requirement to deliver a minimum 10% net gain from most development.

Almost 7 years on from the UK Jurisdiction Task Force’s seminal report on the law of property relating to purely digital assets and 3 years on from the Law Commission’s own 2023 report on the subject, you would be forgiven for believing that we had reached the point of certainty with respect to how the English law treats digital assets such as crypto-currencies.

Several market commentary pieces this week, including an Insider UK survey of UK restructuring market professionals (15 January 2026), amongst others, suggest that during 2026 the UK economy will not collapse, but shift towards a more complex reality where timing, creditor behaviour, and asset focus are key. RSM UK’s Economic Outlook update (13 January 2026) questions whether it will be a year of muddling through. We suspect the answer is yes.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how commercial disputes are conducted, how much they cost, and how fast they develop. If you run a small and medium-sized enterprise, this is no longer a matter to leave solely with your lawyers when disputes land on your desk. Dispute resolution must become part of your core business strategy – starting now.

The London Stock Exchange’s August 2026 reforms to the AIM Rules could make AIM materially more attractive to Australian mining and resources companies, particularly established ASX-listed issuers considering a secondary London quotation.

If you are buying or selling a residential leasehold property (usually a flat or a maisonette), you may have heard lawyers talk about the “AST trap” — a hidden technical issue that has caused delays, lender concerns, and expensive deeds of variation or indemnity policies for years. The good news is that recent legislation, in the form of The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 brought this problem to an end on 27 December 2025.