Employment law in 2025 and what to expect in 2026

This webinar will look at the key developments in employment law during 2025, ranging from an employment tribunal in January holding that the two-year cap on unlawful deductions claims was unlawful, to ACAS extending the conciliation period to 12 weeks from 1 December. We will also discuss developments due in 2026, including changes to statutory sick pay in April and the extension to employment tribunal limitation periods due in October.

Other topics include:

2025

• Increasing (or reducing) protective awards for a failure to collectively consult in a redundancy situation
• Court of Appeal holding that a dismissal for gender critical posts on Facebook was direct discrimination
• Neonatal leave and pay
• Supreme Court ruling that the Equality Act definitions mean biological sex
• Economic Crime and Transparency Act and the failure to prevent fraud
• A former employee found liable for contempt of court over false evidence given in employment tribunal proceedings

2026

• Introduction of the Fair Work Agency
• The new duties to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and to prevent third-party harassment in relation to all protected characteristics
• Dismissal and re-engagement to become automatically unfair unless an exemption applies