Weekly Trade Union Access ‘Excessive’ and ‘Disruptive’
The UK government will grant trade unions the right to access workplaces of any business with 21 or more employees on a weekly basis, with the rules taking effect in October 2026. Employers’ groups such as the CBI, CIPD, Make UK, the British Chambers of Commerce and the British Retail Consortium argue the frequency is excessive, disruptive and could damage productivity, especially for SMEs. While the consultation now gives firms longer to respond and a minimum five‑day gap before the first visit, unions can still give only two days’ notice for subsequent weekly visits. A new draft code of practice is open for comment until 20 May.
Right-to-Try Rules Give People with Health Conditions More Freedom to Seek Work
The UK government will enact legislation before month‑end that lets disabled benefit claimants try paid work or volunteering without triggering an automatic reassessment of their Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, or Universal Credit health element. The change follows...
ONS Reaches Agreement on Office Attendance with PCS Union
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the PCS union have reached a landmark agreement that eliminates individual 40% office‑attendance mandates for civil servants. Instead, attendance will be driven by clear, purpose‑based needs and an overall organisational target of 40%....
Engineering Firm Breached Contract Before Start Date, EAT Rules
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that Loesche Energy Systems breached its employment contract with project‑manager candidate Sita Kankanalapalli by withdrawing the offer before the agreed start date. The September 2022 offer, set for a 1 November start, was conditional on satisfactory...
Tech Boss Who Blew Whistle on Chinese Investment Awarded £1.5m
Dr. Ron Black, former chief executive of Imagination Technologies, raised alarms that the Chinese state‑owned fund China Reform was poised to seize control of the UK chip‑design firm. After reporting the risk to senior directors and meeting with GCHQ, he...
Midwives to Receive Anti-Racism Training
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will embed anti‑racism principles into every UK midwifery degree program, aiming to curb the stark black maternal health crisis. Data from MBRRACE‑UK show black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy...
Former British Council Worker Successfully Appeals Payout Deduction
A former British Council teaching centre lead in Morocco successfully appealed a 35% deduction from her unfair‑dismissal compensation, arguing the deduction was based on a flawed Chagger test. The Employment Appeal Tribunal agreed, overturning the Chagger‑based reduction but upheld the...
Acas: Mental Health Problems Among Top Three Reasons for Staff Absence
A YouGov survey commissioned by Acas finds that roughly one‑third of managers identify stress, anxiety, depression and other mental‑health issues as a top reason for employee sickness absence. Two‑thirds of absences are still attributed to minor illnesses, while about a...
Bank Holidays: Six Things Employers Need to Know
Employers in the UK must treat bank holidays as ordinary working days unless a contract expressly grants time off or premium pay. The Working Time Regulations provide no statutory right to holiday leave or extra rates for work on public...
BSI to Launch Standard in Support of Keep Britain Working
British Standards Institution (BSI) has been commissioned to create a voluntary standard aimed at reducing sickness absence and boosting productivity, with a target launch by 2029. The standard follows the Keep Britain Working review’s recommendations and will be drafted for...
Unilever Freezes Recruitment for at Least Three Months
Unilever announced an immediate, global recruitment freeze that will last at least three months, citing macro‑economic pressures and the escalating US‑Israeli conflict with Iran. The pause applies to all hiring levels and reflects concerns over oil price spikes and supply‑chain...
National Living Wage Rises Today as April 2027 Estimate Released
Effective 1 April 2026, the UK national living wage (NLW) rises to £12.71 per hour (~$15.9) and the 18‑20 national minimum wage jumps to £10.85 (~$13.6), representing 4.1% and 8.5% increases respectively. The Low Pay Commission projects the NLW for 1 April 2027 at...
Number of Keep Britain Working ‘Vanguard’ Employers Doubles
The UK government reports that the number of employers participating in the Keep Britain Working ‘vanguard’ programme has more than doubled, rising from 60 to 150 since the review’s launch in November 2025. These 150 organisations now represent roughly 1.5 million...
ICO Calls on Recruiters to Review Use of Automated Decisions
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued new guidance urging employers to review automated decision‑making (ADM) tools used in recruitment, citing the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 that eases lawful AI adoption. The regulator highlighted both efficiency gains...
Chief People Officer Appointments Down by a Fifth
Global hiring of chief people officers (CPOs) has dropped by more than a fifth over the past three years, with the United Kingdom accounting for 11% of worldwide appointments despite its modest economy. Women now occupy almost three‑quarters of new...
Why Wellbeing Needs to Extend Beyond Desk-Based Workers
Workplace wellbeing programs have traditionally been built around desk‑based employees, leaving construction and other site‑focused workers underserved. Craig Carney argues that the office‑centric model fails when workers are mobile, exposed to physical demands, and disconnected from digital channels. Companies like...
Former Jockey Club Employee Awarded £1m Stress Payout
UK High Court ordered Jockey Club Racecourses to pay nearly £990,000 (about $1.26 million) to former marketing manager Matthew Foxton‑Duffy for psychiatric injury caused by workplace stress. The court found the employer breached its duty of care under the Health and...
Acas: Mental Health Problems Among Top Three Reasons for Staff Absence
A YouGov survey commissioned by Acas finds that roughly one‑third of managers cite stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues as among the top three reasons for employee sickness absence. The same poll shows two‑thirds attribute absences to minor...
Revolut to Base 40% of Workforce in India
Revolut announced that 40% of its global workforce will be located in India by the end of 2026. The fintech plans to add 1,600 jobs in 2026, raising its Indian headcount to 5,500 by 2027, supported by a $625 million investment....
Asylum-Seeker Health Staff Gain Right to Work in NHS
From 26 March 2026 asylum‑seeking doctors, nurses and other qualified health professionals who have waited at least 12 months for an initial asylum decision will be allowed to work in any role listed on the Appendix Skilled Occupations at RQF level 6 or above,...
Tribunal Rules in Favour of Addison Lee Drivers over Compensation
An employment tribunal in Watford ruled in favour of over 900 Addison Lee drivers, confirming they are workers entitled to minimum wage, holiday pay and other employment rights. The judgment establishes the principles for calculating compensation, which lawyers estimate will...
EDI Needs to Move Past ‘Fashions’, Committee Hears
The Women and Equalities Committee heard that equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives are increasingly treated as corporate fashions rather than strategic imperatives. Experts such as the CIPD chief executive and academics urged a shift toward collective inclusion, cultural change...
Temporary Workers in the NHS Need a Stronger Voice
A new National Guardian review finds that roughly two‑thirds of temporary NHS staff in England feel they have no voice, with fear of losing shifts the primary deterrent to speaking up. Ethnic minority temps report even higher levels of silence,...
Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Reporting to Go Ahead
The UK government will mandate ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for organisations with 250 or more employees, adding six metrics that mirror the existing gender pay gap framework. The move follows a consultation that garnered 857 responses, with 87%...
Six in 10 NHS Consultants Would Favour Online Work
The NHS is rolling out a virtual hospital service, NHS Online, slated to launch in 2027 and target common conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, menopause and glaucoma. A survey of 303 consultants revealed that 60% would consider working online...
Inflation Remains Steady for Now
UK inflation held steady in February 2026, with the consumer price index unchanged at 3% and CPIH at 3.2%, while the retail price index slipped to 3.6%. The ongoing US‑Israeli war with Iran has sparked an energy crisis deemed worse...
Half of Retail Workers Would Consider Quitting over Pay Errors
A poll of 2,000 UK retail workers reveals that half would quit over persistent pay or payroll errors, and 30% say they could not survive even a single mistake. Nearly one‑fifth reported that past errors made rent, mortgage or essential...
If We Can ‘Vibe Work’, Why Can’t We Vibe Learn?
The article introduces "vibe learning," an AI‑driven, build‑first approach that mirrors the emerging "vibe working" model. Instead of lengthy preparation, employees start with a concrete project and let AI fill gaps, explain concepts, and provide feedback in real time. This...
Reforms to GMC to Simplify Striking Off Discriminatory Doctors
Labour health secretary Wes Streeting announced reforms to give the General Medical Council (GMC) stronger powers to discipline doctors who use racist or discriminatory language. The changes would allow the GMC to challenge and overturn decisions of the Medical Practitioners...
Workplace Cancer ‘Taboo’ Widespread as Workers Fear to Open Up
A recent Aviva survey of 2,000 U.S. workers shows only 8 % feel comfortable discussing potential cancer‑related symptoms with their employer, while comfort rises to 61 % after a formal diagnosis, yet 19 % remain uneasy. Employees fear job security, differential treatment, and...
Fair Work Agency: Advisory Board Appointees Announced
UK ministers have named nine members to the advisory board of the newly created Fair Work Agency, which launches on 7 April. The agency will merge the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority, the Director of Labour Market Enforcement, the Employment Agency...
Why What We Say After a Death Matters More than We Realise
Each year roughly 1% of the UK population dies, leaving hundreds of thousands of families to navigate grief. The UK Commission on Bereavement reports that over 40% of adults seeking formal support receive none, highlighting a massive gap that informal...
Brewdog Accused of Using ‘Fire and Rehire’ to Reopen Bars
Brewdog entered administration this month, resulting in the loss of 500 jobs and the closure of 38 pubs. Its new owner, Tilray Brands, has announced plans to reopen a handful of locations in Glasgow and Aberdeen, inviting former staff to...
Act Now to Prepare for BiK Changes, Urge Experts
Employers must register with HMRC by 5 April 2026 to test voluntary payrolling of benefits in kind (BiK) ahead of a mandatory rollout in April 2027. The new regime will require real‑time payroll processing of most non‑cash perks, replacing the annual P11D filing...
Financial Services Misconduct Reports up 10%
Reports of FCA breaches rose 10 percent in 2024, with filings climbing to 4,224 from 3,843 the year before. The increase reflects both more misconduct and heightened reporting willingness as firms face stricter expectations. New FCA guidance on non‑financial misconduct, covering...
Labour Market Growth Continues but Sunny Outlook Could Be Temporary
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) reported that active job postings rose 5% in February 2026, reaching 1.53 million, while new postings slipped 1.4% month‑on‑month but were up 12% year‑on‑year. Growth was strongest in blue‑collar, hospitality, manufacturing and engineering roles, with...
Working when the Clocks Go Forward: How Should Employers Handle Losing an Hour?
The UK moves clocks forward one hour on 29 March 2026, reducing night‑shift hours for employees. Employers must review contract language—whether shifts are defined by clock time or total hours—to determine pay obligations. Hourly workers may receive reduced pay if contracts specify...
Lidl Worker Unfairly Dismissed with ADHD Awarded £45k
A UK employment tribunal ruled that Lidl unfairly dismissed deputy store manager Ryan Toghill, who has ADHD and associated rejection sensitivity, awarding him £45,150 (approximately $57,000). The tribunal found Lidl failed to make reasonable adjustments during the disciplinary process, despite...
Employment Rights Act ‘Could Encourage Creation of Unions’
The UK Employment Rights Act is being updated, lowering the union recognition threshold and granting on‑site access. From 6 April 2026 unions need only 2‑10% membership to force statutory recognition, and a simple majority in ballots suffices. The reforms have already...
Covid-19 Inquiry Highlights Mental Health Impact on Health Workers
The UK Covid‑19 Inquiry’s Module 3 report exposes the profound mental‑health toll on NHS staff, revealing that 69 % of intensive‑care workers met criteria for moderate or severe functional impairment during the January 2021 surge. The inquiry links this impairment to presenteeism, heightened...
The HR Podcast Ep 3: Antarctic HR, April Law Changes, Neurodiversity
Personnel Today’s HR Podcast Episode 3, recorded March 13, 2026, examines staffing challenges at the British Antarctic Survey’s remote research bases and explores the upcoming April employment‑law reforms. Guest Darren Newman outlines new statutory sick pay from day one, expanded paternity and...
Warning that NHS Digital Reform Could Lead to Burnout
Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s NHS digital transformation faces warnings of nurse burnout. A Society of Occupational Medicine study of 339 nurses found digital technology stress significantly drives emotional exhaustion and burnout. While AI and digital tools can improve disease management...
Extreme HR: People Management in the Antarctic
British Antarctic Survey’s head of HR, Mariella Giancola, oversees people management for three Antarctic and two sub‑Antarctic stations, where crews live and work in confined, isolated environments. The HR function recruits a wide mix of roles—from scientists to chefs—focusing on...
Research to Gauge Effectiveness of Free Workplace Health Initiatives
A £3.7 million, five‑year research programme led by the University of Birmingham will assess the effectiveness of free workplace health and wellbeing initiatives, known as WHISPAs, for small and medium‑sized enterprises. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research,...
Ministers Allow ‘Full Flexibility’ on Pace of Youth NMW Rise
Britain’s Low Pay Commission has been granted full flexibility to decide how quickly the 18‑20‑year‑old minimum wage will converge with the national living wage. The youth rate jumps to £10.85 per hour on 1 April, while the NLW for workers 21...
As Compliance Becomes More Critical, What Can HR Do?
HR leaders in the UK now face intensified enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and tighter Home Office scrutiny of employee visas, with the Fair Work Agency set to take over wage oversight in April. Penalties can exceed £20,000 per...
Overseas Staff Are Vital to Health of NHS, Finds Inquiry
A parliamentary inquiry found that one‑third of NHS staff are internationally trained, saving the UK roughly £14 bn in training costs. In 2025, about 25% of nurses on the register were foreign‑educated, and half of new nursing hires in 2023‑24 came...
‘My Employee Is Stranded in the Middle East’ – What Can HR Do?
Geopolitical instability in the Middle East has left employees stranded abroad, forcing organisations to juggle operational gaps and employee wellbeing. HR teams are tasked with immediate safety communication, then shifting to workload redistribution while maintaining duty‑of‑care standards. The article stresses...
Tribunal Claims up 12% as Pressure Grows on System
Open employment tribunals rose 12% in the October‑December 2025 quarter, reaching 523,000 live cases and adding 23,500 new filings. Single‑claim submissions surged 53.9% year‑on‑year, while whistleblowing claims more than doubled, posting the fastest growth at 104%. Unfair dismissal now accounts...
Interest in Apprenticeships on the Rise in UK
National searches for apprenticeships and vocational training rose 9% in 2025, with the strongest demand in Yorkshire and the Humber, the North East and the East Midlands. Early‑career specialist Helen Russell notes a cultural shift as adults increasingly pursue earn‑while‑you‑learn...
