Employment Law is Changing. Is Your Business Ready?

It's fair to say employment law has been one of the hottest topics this year. Whilst the Employment Rights Act 2025 brings changes across a number of areas, one of the biggest changes still to come is the overhaul of ordinary unfair dismissal, due to take effect from 1 January 2027. 

With the qualifying period changing, tribunal claim windows expanding and the compensation cap being removed, we're speaking to more and more clients who are asking the same question: "What should we be doing now?" 

That's exactly why we're delighted to be partnering with Freeths for our next HR Workshop on Tuesday 15 September. 

The session will focus specifically on the upcoming changes to unfair dismissal law, what they could mean in practice, and the practical steps employers can start taking now to minimise risk. 

Ahead of the event, we caught up with Lee Williams, Managing Associate in the Employment Team at Freeths, and put some of the questions we're hearing most often from our clients to him.

 

There's been a lot of talk about the Employment Rights Act, but why have you chosen to focus this workshop on unfair dismissal?  

No doubt about it, the ERA 2025 is the biggest shake up of employment law in a generation and the changes to unfair dismissal law are probably the most significant of them all. It is really important that employers understand the significance of what is about to happen. 

  

Without giving too much away, what's one thing you think employers often misunderstand about unfair dismissal?  

There is actually a lot more to unfair dismissal law than some employers appreciate. An unfair dismissal does not need to be a Lord Sugar-esque firing in the boardroom. Resignations and non-renewals of fixed term contracts can also lead to unfair dismissal claims. Further, employees can bring claims from day one of employment in certain situations. Whilst most unfair dismissal claims require an employee to have two years continuous service (which will soon be cut to six months) there are exceptions to this rule that will remain in place. It is very easy for employers to get caught out. 

  

January 2027 sounds a long way off – when is the time for employers to start preparing?  

It is actually less than five months away. The ERA 2025 received royal assent eight months ago, so the time is ticking fast. When January comes, all employees with at least six months’ service (technically, this can be reduced by a week in some situations which can also catch employers out) will retrospectively assume enhanced unfair dismissal rights. This means that the January 2027 changes are having an impact already. There really is no time to lose. 

  

Many of our clients are SMEs who don't have an extensive in-house HR or legal team. Why is this workshop particularly valuable for them?  

The attendees at our workshops come from a range of backgrounds, including SMEs, national companies, the public sector and charities. Our workshops are designed to be relevant to everyone. The workshop will be an excellent opportunity to gain insight into the legal landscape and meet a bunch of nice people who are passionate about employment law and HR. What have you got to lose? 

  

One of the reasons we're excited to partner with Freeths is because legal advice is an important part of the picture. Why do you think bringing together legal and recruitment expertise is so valuable?  

What makes Freeths stand out is that, rather than just giving legal advice, we take the time to really get to know our clients’ businesses to ensure that our advice is tailored and commercial. Recruitment is a key area of our expertise because getting recruitment right is becoming more and more important in the changing legal landscape. We have chosen to partner with Inclusive Consulting because attendees will not only get to learn about the regulatory side from us, but also get a valuable insight into what successful businesses are doing “on the ground” to adapt to the legal changes. 

  

Finally, if someone is on the fence about attending, what would you say?  

Just give it a go! The workshop is free, breakfast is provided and you’ll have the chance to meet a down-to-earth bunch of like-minded people. You could also end up leaving with an idea that will save your organisation a lot of time and money in the long run. 

 

 

Join Us 

If you're responsible for managing people, this is a great opportunity to get ahead of one of the biggest employment law changes coming in 2027. 

Join the Employment Team at Freeths and Inc Consulting for a practical breakfast workshop, where we'll explore what the upcoming changes to unfair dismissal mean in practice and the steps employers can be taking now to prepare. 

📅 Tuesday 15 September 2026 

🕣 Breakfast from 8.30am | Session: 9.00am – 10.30am 

📍 Freeths, 5th Floor, 3 St Paul's Place, 129 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JE 

We'll be covering: 

• What the upcoming changes to unfair dismissal law mean for employers  
• The difference between a fair and unfair dismissal  
• Practical steps businesses should be taking now  
• Common pitfalls to avoid  
• Tips for defending Employment Tribunal claims  
• Live Q&A with Freeths' Employment Team  
• Insight from us on what we're seeing in the market and how employers are preparing from a people perspective  

Reserve your free place here.