Articles

The first substantive tranche of trade union reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025 came into force on 18 February 2026. 

The High Court has dismissed a judicial review challenge to the EHRC’s interim guidance on the consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland. The judgment provides important clarification for employers navigating single-sex facilities and gender reassignment discrimination.

The EAT has found that a tribunal failed properly to analyse whether an employer acted because of a protected belief or because of concerns about how that belief might be expressed in practice.

The Court of Appeal has held that a provision in the NHS Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS) framework requiring the Medical Director to act as case manager was incorporated into a consultant’s contract of employment.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (the Act) represents a significant change to the employment law landscape for Fire and Rescue Services across almost every area of the employee/employer relationship, whether in relation to protection against dismissal, family friendly rights or the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements. Industrial action is no exception, with some of the most significant changes impacting the relationship between Fire and Rescue Services and trade unions.  

Amendments to tribunal procedure come into force on 2 March 2026, introducing summary reasons, tighter pleading requirements and clarification of appeal time limits.