Employment Law and Labour Law

The UK government has released an updated roadmap for implementing the Pension Schemes Act 2026, introducing significant changes to workplace pension regulation.

Recent High Court and Pensions Ombudsman decisions reveal critical pitfalls in pension scheme administration, from ineffective forfeiture clauses to compromised dispute resolution processes. These cases demonstrate how seemingly minor drafting errors and procedural oversights can expose trustees to significant liability years after the fact.

HMRC has updated its VAT Input Tax Manual and VAT Notice 700/17, introducing significant changes to how employers and trustees can recover VAT on services provided to funded occupational pension schemes. While some changes reflect previously announced policies, the updates appear to narrow the circumstances for VAT recovery on administration services and remove guidance on tripartite agreements, creating uncertainty about the path forward for pension scheme arrangements.

Settlement agreements often include confidentiality clauses and restrictive covenants that can significantly impact your ability to secure new employment. Understanding what you've agreed to—from what you can disclose to prospective employers to whether you can work for competitors—is crucial before beginning your job search.

The UK Government has published plans to implement significant restrictions on 'fire and rehire' practices under the Employment Rights Act 2025, with measures expected to take effect on 1 January 2027. These changes will make it automatically unfair to dismiss employees who refuse certain contract variations related to pay, hours, holiday and pension, fundamentally altering employers' ability to force through contractual amendments.

Employment Law Partner Natalie Abbott examines whether UK employers can legally terminate employment contracts via text message, exploring the procedural requirements for fair dismissal and the circumstances under which SMS termination may constitute grounds for an unfair dismissal claim.

The Charity Commission has issued guidance urging charities to prepare for compliance with the new EHRC Code of Practice, which comes into force on 5 August 2026 and clarifies that 'sex' under the Equality Act means 'biological sex' following the Supreme Court's For Women Scotland decision. Trustees are responsible for ensuring compliance, and unreasonable delays may constitute a breach of their duties, with updated charity-specific guidance expected in Autumn 2026.

The Financial Conduct Authority's new non-financial misconduct rule, effective September 2026, will fundamentally change how firms handle workplace investigations involving bullying and harassment. This final instalment in a three-part series examines the critical operational challenges facing HR, legal and compliance teams as they adapt their investigation procedures to meet both employment law and regulatory requirements under the FCA Conduct Rules and Fit and Proper test.

In Skatteforvaltningen v MCML Ltd [2026] UKSC 19 the Supreme Court has unanimously allowed an appeal which concerns the scope of issue estoppel.

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.