The Employment Law & HR Podcast

In this episode 266 of the podcast I am covering a topic that has been much discussed among the Real Employment Law Advice team and which is causing increased stress and time for employers and managers, the use of AI by disgruntled employees. We are seeing a significant increase in AI being used by employees to draft grievances, prepare complaints, challenge decisions and fuel their desire to purs...

Employment Tribunal awards compensation for an employers failure to make adjustments in the probation period In this episode 265 of the podcast I am covering a recent case decided by the Employment Tribunal where an employee was awarded compensation after the employer failed to make reasonable adjustments in the probation period. The case of Ms  Khorram v Capgemini emphasises the importance of eff...

This is going to be critical for all new employees from the 1st July 2026 In this episode 264 of the podcast I am covering the critical change to how managers and employers deal with probation periods for any new starters from the 1st July 2026. The qualifying period for unfair dismissal is going to be the shortest period it has ever been from the 1st January 2027 and this means employers need to...

Top Tips for Managers In this episode 263 of the podcast I bring you my top tips for managing sickness absence. In light of the recent change to statutory sick pay and the requirement to pay employees from day 1 of their absence these practical tips for really managing sickness absence with employees are going to be even more critical. Managing employees who are absent can be difficult and in this...

Legal requirements, best practice & changes needed In this episode 262 of the employment law and HR podcast, I bring you a rundown and reminder about employment contract terms and section 1 statements and the importance of getting it right. In this episode we cover: The difference between a contract and a section 1 statement. Why it is important for both employer and employee to issue a written st...

In this episode 261 of the employment law and HR podcast, I bring you all the details about the changes with the rules about payment of statutory sick pay which come into effect from the 6th April 2026. In this episode we cover: The current rules about the payment for employees who are off sick. The cost to employers of statutory sick pay (SSP). Why many employers will be unaware of the change and...

In this episode 260 of the employment law and HR podcast, I bring you a run down of the new law coming in October 2026 which provides a legal duty on employers to prevent harassment of employees by third parties and provides for employer liability for the actions of third parties towards their employees. In this episode we cover: The background to third party harassment law including the case that...

In this episode 259 of the employment law and HR podcast, we delve into some of the detail of the forthcoming changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025. In this episode I am covering the key changes taking place from April 2026. In this episode we cover: Changes to Paternity Leave Paternity Leave will become a day 1 right for all employees Statutory paternity pay will still have the qualifying...

In this episode 258 of the employment law and HR podcast, we delve into some of the detail of the forthcoming changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025. In this episode I am covering the key changes in regards to unfair dismissal including an analysis of the impact and the practical steps employers need to take.     In this episode we cover:     Changes to the rules on who can claim unfair dism...

What is the status of the changes under the new law?   In this episode 257 of the employment law and HR podcast, as we reach the end of the year and the last podcast for 2025 I cover an update on the status of the Employment Rights Bill, the changes and what has been happening to delay the new law.   In this episode we cover:   The latest issue causing contention and subsequently delays in the par...

An effective tool to resolve disputes In this episode 256 of the employment law and HR podcast I cover an overview of Settlement Discussions and how you can use them to resolve difficult situations in the workplace.   In this episode we cover: When settlement discussions can be used The difference between 'without prejudice' conversations and 'protected conversations' How to safely make an offer W...

In this episode 255 of the employment law and HR podcast I cover an employment tribunal decision where an employee who called their manager a derogatory name was found to have been unfairly dismissed. Although the language used was clearly inappropriate, the tribunal decided that dismissal was too severe a response. This episode unpacks why and what lessons both employers and employees can take fr...

In this episode 254 of the employment law and HR podcast I cover a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal decision that sheds light on a vital question for employers: In this episode we cover: When is an employer responsible for the actions of an employee who sexually harasses a colleague? This case involved a hospitality recruitment agency and a worker (AB) who was sexually harassed by a colleague (CD...

Practical Guidance for Managers When it comes to managing workplace issues, prevention is always better than cure. In this episode 253 of the Employment Law & HR Podcast, we dive into why early action matters, how to spot the signs of trouble, and practical steps you can take to stop minor issues from escalating into costly legal problems.     In this episode, we cover: Why early action is often a...

In this episode 252 of the podcast following on from the  last episode about constructive unfair dismissal  I bring you a rundown of some employment tribunal case examples. In this episode I cover the following cases: Mr Marshall v Mcpherson Limited (2025) 09 07 2025 – Employment Appeal Tribunal case Mrs Rogerson v Dreamstore Norwich Limited 16 01 2020 Western Excavating (ECC) Ltd v Sharp [1978] M...

This is a quick summer message as I am taking a short break from the podcast for some rest and family time.  The Real Employment Law Team are still available if you have any questions or would like any advice or support over the summer.  Thanks for listening.  Alison 

In this episode 251 of the podcast I bring you a rundown of the law regarding constructive unfair dismissal. In this episode I cover: What Constructive Unfair Dismissal is? How the law came about Why we have the legal right to claim constructive unfair dismissal How constructive unfair dismissal differs from unfair dismissal The leading case and judgement from  Western Excavating v Sharp An employ...

In this episode 250 of the podcast I bring you a run down of the process for dealing with warnings as a disciplinary or capability sanction. In this episode I cover: What a warning is. Why some managers use warnings inappropriately. When a warning should be used. The procedure for issuing a warning. Why it is important to follow the correct procedure when issuing a warning. How long warnings shoul...

In this episode 249 of the podcast I bring you my thoughts on the substantive delays in the employment tribunal process which are hindering access to justice for employees and increasing costs and stress for employers and employees. In this episode I cover: My own and my colleagues first hand experience of the delays in the employment tribunal. A summary of the latest employment tribunal statistic...

In this episode 248 of the podcast I bring you a reminder and refresher about the way in which you calculate holiday entitlement and pay. We cover the key points employers, employees and HR professionals need to know, including: Why it is important to calculate leave entitlement and pay separately. How to calculate annual leave entitlement for a regular employee with guaranteed or set hours. How t...

In this episode 247 of the podcast I explore the new law concerning neonatal care leave and pay  – a new statutory right designed to support parents whose babies require neonatal care after birth. We cover the key points employers, employees and HR professionals need to know, including: What neonatal care leave is and who will be eligible How the statutory leave and pay will work in practice The q...

In this episode 246 of the podcast I bring you the final episode in this mini series all about TUPE, and today we cover the frequently asked questions (FAQ's) about all things TUPE. This is episode 5 of a mini series covering the key details you need to know about TUPE. In this episode of the podcast we cover the following questions Can you change employee terms so that they are the same as your e...

The Employers obligation to provide information to employees In this episode 245 of the podcast I bring you the details of the obligations for transferee employers to provide information to the transferor about employees, and the obligations to inform employees and in certain circumstances to consult with employees before they transfer. This is episode 4 of a mini series covering the key details y...

In this episode 244 of the podcast I bring you the details of the enhanced protection from dismissal that applies to certain employees under TUPE when there is a transfer of their employment. This is episode 3 of a mini series covering the key details you need to know about TUPE. In this episode of the podcast we cover: The additional protection from unfair dismissal as a result of a transfer. Whe...

In this episode 243 of the podcast I bring you a run down of the key employee rights under TUPE when there is a transfer of their employment. This is episode 2 of a mini series covering the key details you need to know about TUPE. In this episode of the podcast we cover: The automatic transfer of employment principle. How to determine which employees fall into the organised grouping that transfer....