The Employment Rights Act 1996 is the core statute underpinning individual employment rights in the UK. It governs written terms of employment, protection from unlawful deductions, notice periods, redundancy payments, protection from detriment, whistleblowing, flexible working and, most significantl

An employment contract defines the legal relationship between an organisation and the individuals who work for it. The type of contract used determines not only how work is structured, but also which statutory rights apply, how tax is handled, how dismissal risk is assessed and where compliance expo

A permanent contract is the most common form of employment contract used in the UK. It is an open-ended agreement between an employer and an employee with no fixed end date. While the term “permanent” is widely used in recruitment and HR practice, it does not mean guaranteed employment for life. Ins

In the UK, an employer can only withhold pay in strictly limited circumstances. The starting point under UK employment law is that workers are entitled to be paid the wages properly due to them as part of the fundamental bargain in an employment contract. If an employer withholds pay without lawful

Equal pay law remains one of the most scrutinised and litigated areas of UK employment law. Despite more than fifty years of statutory protection, disputes over pay equity continue to generate high-profile tribunal and appellate decisions. For employers, the legal exposure is significant: successful

Ensuring compliance with data protection law is now a core HR governance function. HR departments process large volumes of highly sensitive personal data throughout the employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management, absence handling and termination. That exposure crea

Discrimination at work remains one of the most legally complex and high-risk areas of UK employment law. Governed primarily by the Equality Act 2010, the law prohibits employers from treating individuals unfairly because of specific protected characteristics. The consequences of getting it wrong are

Recruitment discrimination is one of the most legally sensitive stages of the employment lifecycle. Decisions taken before a contract is even signed can give rise to Employment Tribunal claims, reputational damage and regulatory scrutiny. Under the Equality Act 2010, job applicants are protected aga

Age discrimination remains one of the most frequently litigated areas of workplace equality law in the UK. Unlike some other protected characteristics, age discrimination can affect employees at every stage of their career — from young applicants entering the workforce to senior employees approachin

An individual’s employment status affects both their statutory rights and your risk exposure as an employer. Employee shareholder status is a specific legal status where an individual remains an employee but is issued shares in the employing company (or its parent) in return for giving up certain st