The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents one of the most significant changes to UK employment law in decades. With key reforms coming into force in January 2027, it is vital for employers to proactively assess the impact on their business.
One fundamental shift is the reduction in the qualifying service requirement for ordinary unfair dismissal from two years to six months, alongside the removal of the cap on compensatory awards. As a result, more employees will be able to bring claims, and those claims may be for higher amounts, potentially increasing financial exposure for employers and making disputes harder to settle.
January 2027 also brings wide-ranging provisions that will significantly restrict the use of “fire and rehire” or “fire and replace” as a strategy for employers to change employment terms and conditions and to hire replacement staff. This will have some potentially significant unintended consequences, including the ability of employers to outsource services.
Our speakers will cover:
- An overview on how the law around fire and rehire and unfair dismissal is changing
- What the changes may mean in practice for changing terms and conditions and exiting employees going forward
- Practical guidance on options for navigating the new legal landscape, including how to prepare for the restrictions on employers’ ability to change terms and conditions, how to prepare for dismissals, and how to manage new and increased legal risks
This session is ideal for legal counsel and HR leaders with responsibility for UK employment law.
