Articles

The High Court has confirmed that a TUPE transfer does not amount to “compulsory retirement”, redundancy or reorganisation for the purposes of triggering early payment of pension benefits.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (the Act) is set to introduce significant reforms that will reshape the legal framework for employers. For colleges, one of the most important areas of change will be the rules governing unfair dismissal. These reforms, due to come into force on 1 January 2027, will have important implications for recruitment, probation management and early-stage employment decisions across the further education sector.

Some of the most significant reforms in the Employment Rights Act 2025 (the Act) affecting school employers are expected to take effect in January 2027. These include restrictions on fire-and-rehire practices, a reduction in the qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection and the removal of the statutory compensation cap for unfair dismissal claims.

The Government’s latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 1691) introduces several significant updates which will be implemented between 2026 and 2027. The changes will affect businesses, and migrant workers including individuals seeking settlement soon. Below, we explore the changes which are of most relevance to employers, and their practical implications.

An employer’s requirement for community nurses to work flexibly, including occasional weekends, was justified even though it placed women with childcare responsibilities at a particular disadvantage.

An employment tribunal has held that a charity trustee could not rely on the whistleblowing protections because trustees are not workers.