Employment Law Advice Bureau

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Employment Law Advice Bureau

Providing UK SMEs with free, confidential ACAS-based advice on Employment Law, HR and Health & Safety.

04/09/2026

In July we surveyed our Employment Law Advice Bureau members on their readiness for the new harassment prevention duty landing in October, and the results suggest many still have work to do.

Only 30% have regular harassment training while just 28% have a policy but nothing beyond it. That means no training, no reporting process and no evidence of any action if a claim ever went to tribunal.

Very soon, from 30 October, employers must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their staff. At the same time, a new obligation comes into force making employers liable for harassment of their employees by third parties, including customers, clients, contractors, and members of the public.

To help employers get ahead of these changes, we’ve put together a free guide that covers:
✅ What “all reasonable steps” is likely to mean in practice
✅ The policies you must have in place
✅ What you need beyond policies
✅ A priority plan ahead of October 30

Get your guide for free here https://shorturl.at/n75OF

02/09/2026

Calling all hospitality employers 📣

New duties for your tips policy are landing soon. The exact date is still subject to Parliamentary approval, but with changes expected later this year, now’s the time to get ready.

Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, before you create or change a tips policy, you’ll need to:

👉Consult your workforce, or their union or elected reps
👉Repeat the consultation process when you make changes
👉Formally review the policy at least once every 3 years
👉Share an anonymised summary of the findings

Waiting for a confirmed date shouldn’t stop you from preparing now. If an employee suffers financial loss because you didn’t follow a proper consultation process, they can bring a claim to a tribunal with compensation of up to £5000.

Members of the Employment Law Advice Bureau get clear, practical advice on what a proper tipping consultation needs to be for a business of your size. Want to know more? Speak with one of our employment law experts https://shorturl.at/rsxG2

26/08/2026

The August bank holiday is just days away and while not every business will be open, for sectors such as healthcare, care, hospitality and retail, it's important to prepare now instead of juggling absence challenges and understaffing on the day of.

If an employee has been scheduled to work on bank holiday Monday for weeks but calls in sick without warning, would you know what to do?

To get ahead of bank holiday disruptions, redistribute your absence policy and disciplinary procedure to your team in advance. It's important to ensure employees are made aware of your absence reporting procedure and that managers are adequately trained to address sickness absence over bank holidays.

Find out how the Employment Law Advice Bureau can help you handle sickness absence and bank holiday issues with confidence: https://shorturl.at/CziD3

19/08/2026

August Bank Holiday and festival season can mean a wave of last-minute annual leave requests, and not every one can be approved.

Employees don't have an automatic right to take leave whenever they ask. Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, employers can require notice equal to the length of leave being requested, unless the contract says otherwise.

The risk doesn’t lie in saying no, it's in saying no inconsistently. If decisions look random, or like they favour certain employees over others, you could be exposed to grievances and, in some cases, discrimination claims.

Consistency is what separates your defensible decision from a legal problem. Need help implementing this consistency? Speak to one of our employment law experts today
https://shorturl.at/rsxG2

07/08/2026

A London council (Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham) was forced to pay out £4.5 million after dismissing an employee with ADHD and PTSD during her probation.

What did the employer do?

- Failed to consider a stress risk assessment after knowing the employee had PTSD.

- Failed to express performance concerns before extending the employees probation period or to follow a probationary procedure.

- Failed to consider reasonable adjustments for the claimants known disability.

- Decided to dismiss the employee instead of considering other options or engaging with them.

What the tribunal found:

- The line manager harassed the employee during an ad-hoc coffee meeting.

- Extending the probationary period amounted to direct discrimination and discrimination arising from a disability.

- The dismissal was direct discrimination and disability discrimination.

With stronger unfair dismissal protections expected in January 2027, your probation processes will be under the microscope.

This case serves as a warning to employers who make hasty dismissal decisions. Rushing these decisions can leave you open to errors and exposed to claims.

Need help with a probation situation? Contact the Employment Law Advice Bureau today https://shorturl.at/CziD3

06/08/2026

With the next phase of employment rights coming, you can’t protect your business with just free resources alone.

More new reforms start in October and extend well beyond into December and early 2027, introducing stronger protections for employees and tough rules for employers.

Our sponsor Avensure helps SMEs like you stay ahead with policy support and sector-specific advice when you need it most.

Find out how Avensure can provide you with better peace of mind on your HR and employment law compliance.
https://shorturl.at/BGkRg

05/08/2026

Introduced in April 2026, the Fair Work Agency has the power to inspect your workplace with or without warning and issue penalties for non-compliance.

According to a recent poll, 40% of employers are unaware of the purpose of the Fair Work Agency, leaving further gaps for mistakes.

Could your business withstand an inspection from the Fair Work Agency? Employers who rely on informal practices, incomplete records or unchecked payroll assumptions face greater difficulty if challenged.

If the Fair Work Agency come calling, it is important your business is in the best position possible to provide clear records and evidence. For a quick compliance check of your procedures and policies, contact the Employment Advice Bureau today. https://shorturl.at/CziD3

31/07/2026

The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents a significant shift in how zero-hours and similar low-hours contracts should be managed.

Under new laws expected in 2027, employers will have to:
- Offer guaranteed hours to qualifying workers.
- Pay eligible employees for shifts cancelled, shortened or moved at short notice.
- Provide reasonable notice of shifts and changes.

Leaving it until the last minute to review current arrangements for zero-hours workers, train managers on the changes, and update contracts could soon catch you out.

If you're a business who relies heavily on zero-hours workers, get in touch with the Employment Law Advice Bureau today to find out what the changes mean for you and how to reduce the impact: https://shorturl.at/CziD3

28/07/2026

Picture the delivery driver who's been popping into the warehouse every week for years.

Chatty, a bit near the knuckle, but harmless – or so the office always assumed. Then one comment goes too far, and a member of staff raises a formal complaint. The business owner's first instinct is that they don't work here, so surely it isn't their problem.

From 30 October, that won't hold up.

Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers will become liable for harassment carried out by third parties – customers, contractors, clients, visitors, anyone outside the business – wherever "all reasonable steps" haven't been taken to prevent it.

That's a huge shift in exposure to risks for businesses where staff regularly interact with the public, suppliers, or site visitors.

To avoid leaving gaps for mistakes, it's important relevant policies are updated, employees receive dedicated training, and you have a clear reporting procedure in place.

Members of the Employment Law Advice Bureau can access 24/7 employment law advice, free resources, and training courses to help prepare for the October changes.

Register for your free membership to get started:
https://shorturl.at/L6x8r

Note: This is an employer only service and is not for employees.

24/07/2026

The HSE is Britain's national regulator for workplace health & safety, and they have the power to turn up to your workplace with or without warning.

If they asked to see your health & safety documents, workplace facilities, incident records or training logs, are you confident they wouldn't find any failings?

Not only can they stop business operations if your workplace isn't up to health & safety standards, but they can also prosecute for failure to address concerns.

Don't put your business in the firing line of the HSE. Our sponsor Avensure can put you on the right side of health & safety compliance and add that extra layer of protection you're missing. https://shorturl.at/CgXde

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https://www.employment-advice-bureau.org/

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