The Employment Rights Act 2025 presents board-level risks. Unfair dismissal claims can be issued after six months’ service, down from two years, and compensation is uncapped.

Fire-and-rehire is largely off the table. Employers’ harassment liability now extends to harassment by customers and suppliers, and irregular hours workers can demand contracts with guaranteed hours.

And every employee with a phone has, in effect, a free (but terrible) employment lawyer in their pocket. According to a recent survey, 95% of HR teams have already handled a grievance written by AI.

The settlement isn’t the only cost. It's the management time, and the ripple effect on morale that has a far-reaching cultural impact on the organisation.

And we'll close on the question Kate keeps coming back to: is this just another compliance burden, or is it actually the kick most businesses need?

Join us for a 30-minute, fireside chat session in which we’ll discuss what's changing, who's most exposed, where the opportunities lie, and what changes to prioritise.