Employment Rights Act: Business braces for shorter strike notices, stronger unions February 18, 2026 The first batch of reforms, following the passage of the Employment Rights Act, came into effect on Wednesday, granting employees new trade union powers. As of Wednesday, measures under the legislation kicked in, including the repeal of most of the Trade Union Act 2016 and the introduction of protections against dismissal for taking industrial action. [...]
Employment Rights Act set to stall hiring, says report February 16, 2026 The government’s new package of employment rights will put a brake on hiring, according to a new report, as businesses worry about the possible risks and costs. More than a third (37 per cent) of businesses surveyed by the the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) plan to reduce hiring permanent staff as a [...]
Union bosses call for another workers’ rights push amid Labour turmoil February 8, 2026 Union bosses are capitalising on the turmoil across the Labour party leadership to push for another major workers’ rights shakeup as Prime Minister Keir Starmer tries to fend of a rebellion from the left. The government is being urged to go beyond its manifesto commitments and hand all workers the right to guaranteed hours – [...]
Gen Z office worker confidence crisis leads to uptick in AI use January 22, 2026 Britain’s youngest office workers are increasingly turning to AI to complete everyday tasks despite fears the technology could soon wipe out their roles. Gen Z reported feeling intense pressure to come across as more qualified than they feel upon entering the workforce, leading many to exaggerate on their CV, while over 65 per cent turn [...]
How to prepare your business for employment rights changes January 20, 2026 Ahead of the changes reportedly taking effect from 1 January 2027, employers should seriously consider a more forward-thinking approach to performance management – closely monitoring issues as they arise, keeping clear internal records of performance or conduct concerns, and making effective use of probationary periods where necessary, says Olivia Russo “The early bird catches the [...]
London’s ‘record low confidence’ blamed on Labour workers’ rights bill January 16, 2026 London is suffering from record low business confidence due to Labour government’s Employment Rights Bill, an industry group has warned. The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it recorded the lowest ever level of business confidence in its quarterly economic survey of 500 business chiefs across the capital. The group warned that the “punitive” [...]
Employment Rights Bill will become law – as Tories vow to repeal it December 16, 2025 The controversial Employment Rights Bill will become law after legislation cleared Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. After weeks of the Bill ping-ponging from the House of Lords to the Commons over controversial ‘day one’ rights, the government agreed earlier this month to drop its pledge of ‘day one’ rights in exchange for certain protections kicking in [...]
Employment Rights Bill: Workers to get pro-union pamphlets December 8, 2025 Employers will be mandated to tell workers about the option of joining trade unions under new rules coming into force with the Employment Rights Bill. In one of several changes to workers’ rights to be made, bosses will have to inform new hires about what unions do and how they can join one. The change, backed [...]
Labour’s assault on jobs will undermine growth November 4, 2025 Rachel Reeves is engaged in a complicated dance with the Office for Budget Responsibility in the run up to her second Budget. When the fiscal watchdog presents its scorecard on the Chancellor’s plans – and on wider government policies – the music will stop and we’ll see whether Reeves pulls off a surprising lift, or [...]
Labour faces setback as Lords boots back workers’ rights Bill October 29, 2025 The Employment Rights Bill failed to clear the final hurdle, as the House of Lords ping-ponged it back to MPs for further debate over disputed points, including the controversial granting of ‘day one’ rights. The highly contested Bill, which was a significant part of Labour’s manifesto, will see a major overhaul in the UK’s employment [...]