All you need to know about October’s employment law reforms

Businesses now have just eight weeks to prepare for the first wave of upcoming employment law changes.

To prepare businesses and their owners, a spokesperson from small business HR software company, CharlieHR, has highlighted the key employment law changes employers should have on their radar, as well as what they mean in practice, and the steps businesses can take to prepare before they start rolling out in October.

“These changes are some of the biggest we’ve seen to UK employment law in years…”

Ben Gateley (below left), CEO and co-founder, said: “These changes are some of the biggest we’ve seen to UK employment law in years, but businesses that get ahead of them now will be in a much stronger position when they come into force. This is a chance to be proactive, review your policies, make sure your managers know what’s changing and put the right processes in place before you need them.”

Successful business can use the changes as an opportunity to install better employment habits, and also to give managers more confidence. Look at it as an opportunity to create a better workplace, and consider that planning for changes now is far better than trying to fix any problems after they occur.

In October 2026, employment tribunal time limits double. The time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims will increase from three months to six, extending the period in which employees can make a claim.

Businesses should review their record-keeping processes, ensure employment documentation is retained for longer, and maintain clear records of disciplinary, grievance and performance management decisions to help protect against future claims.

In addition, new trade union rights will come in, meaning employers will have new responsibilities to inform workers of their right to join a trade union, while trade unions themselves will receive enhanced workplace access rights.

Then, in January 2027, the next phase of employment law reforms kicks in. This phase is expected to introduce significant new workplace rights, including enhanced protections against unfair dismissal.

Under the planned changes, the time employees need to have worked for the company in order to qualify for unfair dismissal will reduce from the current two years to six months of continuous service.

Additionally, this period can be backdated under the changes, meaning companies will need to review probation periods and reduce them to under the six-month qualifying period.

Additional changes will introduce new safeguards for workers on zero-hours and low-hours contracts.