Employment Law Update: What’s Now Secured and Actually Happening

The direction of travel hasn’t changed.
But the detail has.

Some employment law reforms are now live and enforceable. Some are passed and coming in. Others are still moving through Parliament but look increasingly inevitable.

If Part 1 was about what might happen, this is about what’s locked in and heading your way and why working with the right recruitment partner matters more than ever.

Here’s what’s happening right now..

What’s already here

Duty to Prevent Sexual Harassment

In force since October 2024

This is a major cultural shift. Employers now have a positive duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. Waiting for a complaint and reacting is no longer enough.

If a tribunal finds you didn’t take preventative steps, compensation can be uplifted by up to 25%.

Policies in a drawer won’t cut it.
Training, reporting routes and visible action will.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
A good partner doesn’t just supply people. They ensure temporary and contract staff are placed into environments with clear reporting routes, appropriate onboarding and compliant processes. For many businesses, especially those using contingent labour, that extra layer of oversight reduces risk significantly.

Flexible Working – Day One Right

In force since April 2024

Flexible working is no longer a perk. It’s standard.

• Right to request from day one
• Two requests per year
• Two-month response deadline
• Duty to consult before refusing

You can still say no, but you need a solid business reason and a proper process. Lazy refusals will get picked apart.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
When flexibility requests increase, workforce planning becomes more complex. Recruitment partners can help source interim cover, manage temporary staffing gaps and keep productivity steady while requests are handled properly.

Other April 2024 changes now embedded

These are live and should already be reflected in contracts and policies:

• Carer’s Leave: 1 week unpaid per year
• Paternity Leave: Can be split across the first year
• Extended redundancy protection: For pregnant employees and new parents

If your handbook hasn’t caught up yet, it needs to.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
Keeping policies, contracts and payroll aligned with changing leave rights takes time. Many businesses are leaning on recruitment partners and outsourced workforce providers to handle administration such as statutory sick pay, holiday pay, and compliance for temporary workers — reducing internal workload and risk.

Passed and definitely coming

Neonatal Leave and Pay

Expected April 2025

This one is secured. Parents of babies requiring neonatal care will get:

• Up to 12 weeks additional leave
• Statutory pay (if eligible)
• Protection from dismissal or detriment

This will affect workforce planning more than people expect.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
 When unexpected extended leave hits, the pressure lands on operations quickly. A recruitment partner can source short-term cover, manage payroll for temporary staff, and ensure statutory payments (including sick pay where relevant) are handled correctly — without adding pressure to internal HR teams.

The big reforms moving through Parliament

These aren’t law yet, but they’re central to the Government’s agenda and increasingly likely.

Day One Unfair Dismissal Rights

Expected around 2026

The proposed removal of the two-year qualifying period means:

• Protection from day one
• Greater reliance on robust probation periods
• Stronger documentation from the start

The days of “they’ve only been here six months” are numbered.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
Hiring mistakes will become riskier and more expensive. Recruitment partners can help with:

• Better candidate vetting
• Structured onboarding support
• Temporary-to-permanent options
• Reduced direct employment risk in early stages

In some models, the recruiter remains the employer of record for temporary staff — handling contracts, payroll, sick pay and compliance while you assess long-term fit.

Fire and Rehire Restrictions

Consultation is ongoing, but the direction is clear:
Dismissing staff for refusing new terms is going to get much harder.

Expect:

• Stronger consultation requirements
• Clearer fairness thresholds
• Higher tribunal risk if mishandled

The blunt “accept this or leave” approach is on borrowed time.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
When restructuring or changing terms, businesses often need interim skills, project staff or phased transitions. Recruitment partners can provide flexible workforce solutions without exposing the business to unnecessary legal risk.

Still in proposal territory (watch, don’t panic)

These are being discussed but aren’t law yet:

• Zero-hours contract reform
• Right to disconnect
• Employment status reform

Monitor them, but don’t overhaul your business just yet.

Where a recruitment partner helps:
A good partner tracks these developments daily and adjusts contracts, pay models and compliance processes accordingly — so you don’t have to.

Why this matters now

This isn’t just a list of legal tweaks.
It’s a shift in how employment relationships start and end.

Employees will gain rights earlier.
Processes will matter more.
Documentation will matter more.
Manager capability will matter more.

That means employers need:

• Structured onboarding
• Proper probation reviews
• Confident line managers
• Clear, legally accurate policies
• Payroll and statutory payments handled correctly
• Reliable cover when staff absences or new rights impact capacity

This is exactly where recruitment partners add value.

From managing temporary staff payroll, statutory sick pay and holiday pay, to providing compliant contracts and workforce flexibility, the right partner removes administrative burden and reduces legal exposure — while keeping your business running smoothly.

The bottom line

Some changes are already enforceable.
Some are signed off and landing soon.
Others are moving steadily through Parliament.

But the direction is obvious:
more protection, earlier in employment, and far less room for sloppy process.

Ignore it and you risk tribunals, cost and reputational damage.
Get ahead of it and you stay compliant, competitive and calm while others scramble.

And in a landscape where employment law is tightening, having a recruitment partner who can support hiring, compliance, payroll, sick pay administration and workforce planning isn’t just helpful — it’s a strategic advantage.