Employment Law and Labour Law

The Fair Employment Tribunal in Belfast has issued its first ruling on discrimination and harassment claims involving gender critical beliefs as a form of political opinion. While the claimant was unsuccessful, this landmark decision provides crucial early guidance for Northern Ireland employers navigating the complex intersection of gender critical beliefs and workplace discrimination law.

Following a Call for Evidence last year, the Government has now published a consultation until 27 October 2026 on proposals to reform pay discrimination law. Phase one of the proposed reforms comprises changes to the current equal pay law and enforcement framework.

The UK government has launched a consultation on how the Fair Work Agency will enforce statutory holiday pay compliance from 2027, proposing a supportive approach that prioritizes employer guidance over immediate penalties. The consultation explores critical questions around enforcement scope, penalty structures, and whether to focus resources on protecting lower-paid and vulnerable workers through targeted compliance measures.

The government has published a consultation, open until 22 September, seeking views on the proposed approach of the new Fair Work Agency to statutory holiday pay compliance and enforcement from 2027. Currently only individuals can bring holiday pay claims in the employment tribunal.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that requiring a trainee employee to repay internal training costs constitutes an unreasonable restraint of trade. This landmark decision examines when repayment provisions cross the line from legitimate business protection to unlawful restriction, with significant implications for employers using clawback arrangements for training, bonuses, and other benefits.

The UK government has launched a consultation on how the Fair Work Agency will enforce statutory holiday pay compliance from 2027, proposing a supportive approach that prioritizes employer guidance over immediate penalties. The consultation explores critical questions around enforcement scope, penalty structures, and whether to focus resources on protecting lower-paid and vulnerable workers through targeted compliance measures.

Julia Paulding speaks with Ewen MacPherson, Group Chief People Officer at Havas, about how HR is transforming into a strategic function that shapes human-centred employee experiences. They explore the shift toward skills-based organisations and how companies can prepare their workforce for an AI-enabled future.

Recorded live at last year's Managing an International Workforce conference, our speakers unpack how organisations can counter international competitive risks...

UK fire and rehire reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025 could unexpectedly impact outsourcing arrangements where service providers don't take on customer employees.

For many employers, neurodiversity still feels like unfamiliar territory. It may come up quietly, through a request for flexibility, a conversation about struggling with workload, or a manager raising concerns about performance or communication. Sometimes it appears in the background of an absence issue, a grievance, or a difficult workplace relationship that has started to deteriorate.

The Fair Employment Tribunal in Belfast has issued its first ruling on discrimination and harassment claims involving gender critical beliefs as a form of political opinion. While the claimant was unsuccessful, this landmark decision provides crucial early guidance for Northern Ireland employers navigating the complex intersection of gender critical beliefs and workplace discrimination law.

Following a Call for Evidence last year, the Government has now published a consultation until 27 October 2026 on proposals to reform pay discrimination law. Phase one of the proposed reforms comprises changes to the current equal pay law and enforcement framework.