{
  "id": 9609637,
  "title": "UK Employment Law Changes: What Employers Should Be Preparing For",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/uk-employment-law-changes-what-employers-should-be-preparing-for",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-24T06:15:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Leader",
    "slug": "the-leader",
    "url": "https://theleader.info/2026/09/24/uk-employment-law-changes-what-employers-should-be-preparing-for/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Employment Rights Act 2025, which received royal assent in December 2025, is introducing employment law changes in stages. Some changes have already been introduced, while others will follow in coming months. The most significant change for businesses will take place in January 2027, with the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims dropping from two years to six months. This means that employees can now file an unfair dismissal claim after six months of employment, rather than waiting for two years. From the same date, stricter regulation of firing and rehiring practices comes into effect, with most dismissal scenarios now considered automatically unfair. Additionally, the waiting period for statutory sick pay has been abolished, meaning that employees can now claim from the very first day of illness. The Fair Work Agency, a new enforcement body, began operations on April 7, 2026, unifying enforcement powers under one roof. The period for filing most tribunal claims has also been extended to six months, starting from October 1, 2026. Employers must take reasonable measures to prevent harassment, including from clients and customers, effective from that date. The main change most businesses need to prepare for is the six-month qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims, which takes effect from January 2027.",
  "summary": "Many HR managers have built their disciplinary policy around one number: the two years of employment which an employee needs to accrue to be eligible to file an unfair dismissal claim. That number is now changing, and for many businesses, the change has already happened. These employment law changes stem from the Employment Rights Act […] The post UK Employment Law Changes: What Employers Should…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}