News

An update to Working Together to Safeguard Children was published on 18th March 2026. This is key statutory guidance for schools and education providers, setting out how they must work with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and links in closely with Keeping children safe in education 2025. The term practitioner … Read more

Summary This is a summary timetable of the changes that will be made by the Employment Rights Act 2025 and the policies that will or may need to be updated.  We will be contacting our clients over the next week to assist in policy amendments.  Changes will need to be consulted on with Trade Unions … Read more

A common issue for schools arises where a teacher is employed on a permanent unqualified teacher contract but subsequently obtains Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The question is whether the school can continue to employ that individual on the unqualified teachers’ scale until a suitable vacancy arises, or whether their pay and status must change immediately. … Read more

In Ngole v Touchstone Leeds [2026] EAT 29, the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that an employment tribunal had erred by failing to properly determine whether the respondent charity’s treatment of a Christian job applicant was because of his protected beliefs, or because of the way those beliefs were perceived to have been manifested. The claimant, … Read more

The ACAS Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities sets out the distinction between trade union duties and trade union activities. Trade Union Duties Trade union duties relate directly to the representative role an elected trade union official performs in connection with matters for which the union is formally recognised. … Read more

The Employment Appeal Tribunal has decided that an employment tribunal was wrong to make a 100% reduction to a compensatory award (applying the principles set out in Polkey v AE Dayton Services Ltd [1987] IRLR 503) in a successful claim for unfair dismissal. Ms Pal was employed by Accenture (UK) Ltd in 2009. In September … Read more

The EAT has ruled that an ACAS agreed settlement (commonly referred to as a COT3) that settled an employment tribunal claim also covered a related appeal not expressly referenced in the agreement. Mr Turner brought a claim in the employment tribunal which included alleged non-payment under his employer’s PHI scheme. The PHI complaint was struck out. … Read more

SummaryOn 13th January 2026 the draft Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026 were laid before Parliament to provide for up to 52 weeks’ paternity leave (to be known as bereaved partner’s paternity leave) in situations where the child’s mother or adopter has died in childbirth or within a year of the birth or adoption placement. … Read more

The Employment Rights Bill has now completed its passage through Parliament and has become law. On 18 December 2025, the Employment Rights Bill received Royal Assent and was enacted as the Employment Rights Act 2025. Royal Assent is the formal step by which the Bill became an Act of Parliament. The Act introduces additions and … Read more

The government has made regulations to extend the maximum period for ACAS early conciliation from six weeks to 12 weeks from 1 December 2025, to ease pressure on ACAS following an increase in caseload. The EC period is the period within which ACAS has a duty to promote settlement once a claim has been notified to … Read more