Insights & Events

Industrial relations are moving up the legal risk agenda. New measures under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) are designed to strengthen the rights and influence of trade unions in the workplace. The first set of amendments will come into force on 18 February 2026.

With proposals for right to work rules to be expanded to cover workers, contractors, self-employed freelancers, and gig‑economy workers, you will need to embed checks across your entire workforce. That means updating processes and contracts, training your teams, investing in efficient verification tools and staying alert to new Home Office guidance. If you don’t adapt, you’re exposing your business to significant fines, reputational damage and operational risk once the new rules take effect, which is expected in 2026.

ESG reporting, tech and digital innovation, planning changes and employment rights dominate what has been a very busy few weeks in terms of legal and regulatory developments. But they’re by no means the only issues topping the legal agenda. In our first Legal Horizon of 2026, we highlight some of the key updates and cases impacting businesses today.

As we look ahead to 2026, HR Directors, General Counsel, and business leaders face a rapidly evolving employment law landscape. From significant legislative reforms to the rise of new technologies and an increased focus on workforce wellbeing, this year will bring challenges and opportunities.

If your workforce includes sponsored or non-sponsored migrant workers, now is the time to prepare. In this article, we share proactive steps to help you stay ahead – from supporting your employees through the transition to reviewing budgets for rising sponsorship costs.

Security – whether in relation to technology and data, or in relation to geopolitics and its effect on supply chains, sites or staff – is high on the manufacturing board agenda, alongside tech innovation and the ongoing drive for sustainability, transparency and accountability.

The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) is set to shake up UK employment law and could reshape how organisations hire, manage, and engage with workers. Here’s a quick rundown of the key proposals and what they could mean for your business – focusing on the construction and logistics sectors.

Time is short, and you must act now to audit your workforce, review sponsorship plans, and ensure compliance before the deadline.

The UK government has released a roadmap for the implementation of the raft of new employment rights to be introduced through the Employment Rights Bill. We’ve summarised the key changes for you.

Do you have minors and young people in your workforce? Great! Employing minors and young workers can bring many benefits to a business – new energy, affordability, meet staffing needs. But here’s the question – are you compliant with the laws on employing young people in your business? If you’re unsure, read on.

In our recent webinar series "AI – Getting it right", experts from across Walker Morris discussed several different ways that the technology is changing what organisations think and do. This article provides an outline of the series and helpful resources.

We’re kicked off our mini series, AI – Getting it right: people, privacy and partners, with Charlotte Smith, a Director in our Employment law team.