Articles

A government-commissioned review of the current whistleblowing regime has flagged legal uncertainty, limited internal procedures, and inconsistent support for whistleblowers.

During the 21 July House of Lords debate on the Employment Rights Bill, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch confirmed that the government “will be consulting on options for reform of non-compete clauses in employment contracts in due course.” This indicates that reform in this area is still under consideration by the new government.

The High Court has confirmed that employers may be liable under data protection and privacy laws in certain circumstances where personal information is disclosed following deceptive tactics, even if the disclosure is made orally.

On 7 July 2025, the government tabled further amendments to the Employment Rights Bill ahead of its House of Lords Report Stage on 14 July. These proposed changes would tighten several aspects of the Bill and, if passed, could have important implications for employers.

Workplace Compass: The Government’s latest amendments to the Employment Rights Bill would void NDA terms that prevent workers speaking out about harassment or discrimination. We explore what this could mean for employers in practice.

Amendments to the Employment Rights Bill would make NDA clauses unenforceable where they prevent a worker from disclosing information about discrimination or harassment, or the employer’s handling of a complaint. The new provisions, if passed, could apply to all workplace agreements, including settlement agreements, and would represent a significant shift away from relying on whistleblowing law to protect such disclosures.