JFH Law

08/09/2026

The rise of the AI generated patient complaint - how to stay calm and respond appropriately

Discover more about The Rise of the AI-Generated Complaint – how to stay calm and respond here.

09/04/2026

Employment Rights Act 2025: key changes took effect on 6 April 2026
• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) : now payable from day 1 of illness and lower earnings limit removed.
• Paternity leave: now a day 1 right for unpaid leave
• Statutory paternity pay: still requires 26 weeks’ continuous service
• Parental leave: now a day 1 right
• Collective redundancy: protective award increased from 90 days’ pay to 180 days’ pay
• Holiday records: employers must keep leave and holiday pay records for 6 years from date it was recorded. Failure to keep holiday records can be a criminal offence punishable by fine.
• Whistleblowing: disclosures about sexual harassment now have express protection from detriment and unfair dismissal

01/04/2026

Tribunal Awards £38,500 to Employee Subjected to Mandatory “Fun” Slack Reactions

An employment tribunal in Birmingham has ruled in Peters v Synergy Peak Ltd that a compulsory workplace communications policy requiring staff to respond to all internal announcements with at least one “positive engagement emoji” amounted to a detriment for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.

The claimant, a senior accounts assistant, gave evidence that she was repeatedly criticised for acknowledging messages with a plain “Noted” rather than the employer’s preferred reactions, namely the rocket, party popper or “clapping hands”. Matters escalated after she received a formal reminder for responding to a revised stationery protocol with what the tribunal described as “an emotionally neutral thumbs-up”.

The tribunal heard expert evidence from a digital workplace consultant, an organisational psychologist and a former social media manager, who agreed that the sustained expectation of performative enthusiasm could give rise to significant distress in a professional setting.

The employer argued that the policy was intended to promote morale, collaboration and “visible positivity across teams”. That submission was rejected. In its judgment, the tribunal held that “an employee cannot be compelled to manifest delight at printer maintenance, policy updates or revised parking arrangements.”

The claimant was awarded £38,500 for injury to feelings. In assessing remedy, the tribunal noted that the requirement to use the party popper emoji on a Monday morning was “particularly intrusive”. The judge further observed that the repeated instruction to “bring more energy to the channel” was an aggravating feature.

The employer is understood to be reviewing its communications strategy.

09/12/2025

The Government has set out its proposed new statutory rates for statutory sick pay and family leave pay to apply from 6th April 2026.

Old Rate New Rate
Statutory maternity pay £187.18 per week £194.32 per per week
Statutory paternity pay £187.18 per week £194.32 per per week
Statutory shared parental pay £187.18 per week £194.32 per per week
Statutory adoption pay £187.18 per week £194.32 per week
Statutory parental bereavement £187.18 per week £194.32 per pay per week
Statutory neonatal care leave pay £187.18 per week £194.32 per per week
Statutory sick pay £118.75 per week £123.25 per week

The average gross weekly earnings required to qualify for the various forms of family leave pay is proposed to increase from £125.00 or more per week, to £129.00 or more per week from 6th April 2026.

26/11/2025

The Government has announced the rates of the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) which will come into force from April 2026. The NLW, which applies to workers aged 21 and over, will rise from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour.

In April 2026 there will be:
• a 50p, or 4.1%, increase to the NLW for those aged 21 and over (from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour)
• an 85p, or 8.5%, increase for those aged 18–20 (from £10.00 to £10.85 per hour), and
• a 45p, or 6%, increase for those aged 16–17 and apprentices (from £7.55 to £8.00 per hour).

11/11/2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming dentistry — from diagnosis and treatment planning to patient communication. But with innovation comes new legal and ethical challenges.

Join Julia Furley, Barrister and Founding Partner at JFH Law, as she explores:
⚖️ How technological change impacts current ethical and regulatory standards
🚨 The risks of AI implementation in healthcare settings
📚 Recent legal challenges from AI misuse
⚖️ How AI may perpetuate discrimination and bias
🧾 Where liability lies for dental practitioners using AI
💡 How to safely and legally use AI-driven tools for marketing and patient engagement

🗓 Date: Friday, 14 November
📍 Venue: British Dental Association
👩‍⚖️ Speaker: Julia Furley, JFH Law

Don’t miss this essential session for dental professionals navigating the digital health revolution.

This year's annual dento-legal study day will take place in London on Friday 14 November. Join us for a focused event on managing liability, maintaining credibility, and presenting your best professional self.

24/10/2025

Big news for workers’ rights! 💪

From April 2026, changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will make things fairer for everyone:
✅ SSP will be paid from day one of illness — no more waiting three days.
✅ The lower earnings limit will be removed — meaning all workers can qualify, no matter how much they earn.

A major step forward for workplace fairness under the new Employment Rights Act.

22/10/2025

📢 Bereavement Leave Update: What’s Changing?

Right now, employees have the right to two weeks’ statutory bereavement leave and pay if they lose a child under 18 or experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

👉 A new day-one right to bereavement leave is on the way, expanding support to cover a wider group of people.

Here’s what we know so far about the changes proposed by the Employment Rights Act:

- The new leave will be unpaid

- It will last at least one week

- It will include parents who experience pregnancy loss before 24 weeks

- Regulations are still to come, with a consultation expected in autumn 2025

The Government aims to implement the changes in 2027

This is a step toward more compassionate workplace policies. We’ll keep you updated as more details become available.

20/10/2025

🚼 **Parental Leave Update – Coming April 2026!**

From **6 April 2026**, **unpaid parental leave** will become a **day-one right** for all employees.

✅ Currently, this benefit is only available after one year of service — but that’s changing!

This is a big step forward in supporting working parents from the very start of their employment journey. 👶💼

17/10/2025

📢 Important Update: Paternity Leave Changes Coming in April 2026

From 6 April 2026, eligible employees will have the right to take paternity leave from day one of employment — removing the current requirement of 26 weeks’ continuous service.

Additionally, new rules will allow employees to take paternity leave even after shared parental leave, a significant change from the current system where choosing shared parental leave first means losing paternity leave entitlement.

These changes mark a positive step toward more flexible and inclusive family leave policies. 👶💼

Send a message to learn more