Top 5 Employment Law Developments Of 2009

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.