Moorcrofts Means Business

Employment Law Update: What’s changing in 2026 and beyond

Moorcrofts Season 4 Episode 3

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0:00 | 16:26

Welcome to Series 4, Episode 3 of the Moorcrofts Means Business Podcast!

In this episode, Lindsey Abbott, Employment Partner at Moorcrofts, is joined by Joe Hughes, Practice Manager, to discuss upcoming employment law developments and what they mean for employers over the next 12–24 months.

With significant reforms on the horizon through the Employment Rights Act 2025 and beyond, this episode breaks down what businesses need to know now to stay compliant and prepared.

In this episode they cover the key employment law changes coming into force, including: 

  • The new duty on employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment
  • Strengthened protections around third-party harassment in the workplace
  • Changes to unfair dismissal rights, including reduced qualifying service and removal of compensation caps
  • Increased employment tribunal time limits from 3 to 6 months
  • Upcoming reforms to fire and rehire practices and contractual variation rights
  • The growing importance of managing performance and conduct within shorter timeframes
  • Changes to flexible working requests and the higher threshold for refusal
  • Expansion of trade union rights and employer obligations
  • Introduction of the Fair Work Agency and its role in enforcement
  • Practical steps employers should prioritise in the next 3–6 months

Tune in to gain a clear understanding of how these significant employment law reforms could impact your business, what practical steps you should be taking now, and how to stay compliant in a rapidly changing legal landscape.