Contracts of employment

New and updated

• Date:

  20 August 2026

  Type:

  News

  Woman lawfully dismissed after working remotely from France

  A woman has lost her claim for unfair dismissal and breach of contract to an employment tribunal after she was sacked for working remotely from France.

• Type:

  FAQs

  What is the difference between wrongful dismissal and unfair dismissal?

  The qualifying period for unfair dismissal is reduced from two years to six months for dismissals on or after 1 January 2027. 

• Type:

  Employment law guide

  Confidentiality and restrictive covenants

  The case of Geeks Ltd v Watts considered the enforceability of employee training fee repayment clauses where they make it unreasonably difficult for the employee to leave and work elsewhere. An employer should be able to show that the clause protects a legitimate business interest and does not go further than necessary.

• Type:

  How to

  How to change the terms of existing employment contracts

  Measures under the Employment Rights Act 2025, due to come into force in January 2027, significantly restrict employers’ ability to change contractual terms by dismissing and re-engaging employees. In advance of the changes, employers may decide to review their use of variation clauses, to give them flexibility to make contractual changes in the future.

• Type:

  FAQs

  Is it possible to change the terms of a contract by dismissing the employee then re-engaging them under different terms?

  The use of fire and rehire to change contractual terms will be significantly restricted under measures due to come into force in January 2027.

• Type:

  Employment law guide

  Fixed-term workers

  The case of Komeng v National Highways illustrates that an employer may be able to justify treating a fixed-term employee differently from a comparable permanent employee where there is a genuine and proportionate business reason for doing so.

• Date:

  23 July 2026

  Type:

  Commentary and insights

  How will the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes to unfair dismissal affect the use of fixed-term contracts?

  The reduction of the qualifying period for protection from unfair dismissal is one of the most significant workplace reforms contained in the Employment Rights Act 2025. In our recent webinar on the subject, attendees asked about the implications of the changes for the use of fixed-term contracts.

• Type:

  FAQs

  When the Employment Rights Act 2025 rules on guaranteed hours come into force, will employers still be able to use zero hours contracts for workers who want them?

  The Employment Rights Act 2025 does not abolish zero hours contracts. When the guaranteed hours provisions are brought into force (they are currently scheduled for 2027), there will be circumstances in which an employer will be obliged to offer contracts that guarantee a certain number of hours ...

• Type:

  FAQs

  When the new rules on "fire and rehire" are in force, will an employer be able to change employees' terms of employment if it is relying on a variation clause?

  A contractual change that is authorised by a valid variation clause that already forms part of the contract of employment will not be affected by the new provisions on fire and rehire ...

• Type:

  FAQs

  When the new rules on "fire and rehire" are in force, how can an employer make contractual changes if the employees do not agree to the variation?

  Assuming there is no variation clause allowing the employer to make the change, if an employer proposes a "restricted variation" (for example a reduction in pay or a change in the number of working hours), the employees are entitled to refuse to agree to the change ...