United Kingdom: Unfair/ Wrongful Dismissal

The Department for Business and Trade has released a comprehensive timeline detailing when key provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 will come into force, bringing significant changes to workplace rights, trade union powers, and employer obligations. From electronic balloting rights to extended tribunal time limits and strengthened harassment protections, these reforms will fundamentally reshape the employment landscape over the next two years.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a major shift in UK employment law by reducing the unfair dismissal qualifying period from two years to just six months, effective January 2027. This change will impact both new and existing employees, requiring employers to justify dismissal decisions much earlier in the employment relationship. Understanding how to manage probation periods, maintain proper documentation, and follow fair procedures will be critical for businesses navigating this significant reform.

The London Central Employment Tribunal's remedy ruling in Reeves v Goldman Sachs International examines whether progressive parental leave policies can shield employers from discrimination claims when their application results in unfair treatment. This landmark case explores the intersection of sex discrimination, parental leave rights, and redundancy procedures in senior financial services roles, raising critical questions about the gap between policy and practice in corporate culture.

UK employers face a dramatic shift in employment law as unfair dismissal protections expand significantly from January 2027. The qualifying period drops from two years to just six months, while compensation caps are eliminated entirely, creating unlimited liability for wrongful terminations. These changes demand immediate action on probationary periods, recruitment processes, and performance management strategies.

Financial services firms must navigate the UK Employment Rights Act 2025 and FCA's new non-financial misconduct framework, which together create unprecedented dual employment and regulatory risks. With staggered implementation dates through 2027, firms face material changes to unfair dismissal protection, sexual harassment liability, and whistleblowing obligations that require coordinated preparation across HR, legal, and compliance functions. The reforms fundamentally alter the risk landscape for managing

The Employment Rights Act introduces sweeping changes to UK employment law, from reducing unfair dismissal qualifying periods to strengthening trade union rights and banning exploitative practices. This comprehensive dashboard breaks down each reform by topic, clarifying current legal positions and what they will become under the Act, with detailed implementation timelines and practical guidance for employers navigating this transformative legislation.

In Tarbuc v Martello Piling Ltd [2026] EAT 58 the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that an employment tribunal misapplied section 111A of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996) by excluding evidence relating...

From 1 January 2027, further significant employment law reforms will come into effect, significantly reshaping dismissal rights, compensation exposure, and the use of flexible working arrangements...

New government analysis suggests that planned employment law reforms could significantly increase the number of workplace disputes progressing through Acas early conciliation and into the employment tribunal system, adding further pressure to a structure already facing capacity pressures.