Employees gain unfair dismissal rights after six months as award cap ends
Updated
Updated · leamingtonobserver.co.uk · May 10
Employees gain unfair dismissal rights after six months as award cap ends
12 articles · Updated · leamingtonobserver.co.uk · May 10
The changes take effect on 1 January 2027, cutting the qualifying period from two years and prompting Coventry and Warwickshire employers to review staffing decisions.
Employment solicitor Julia Woodhouse warned some employers may accelerate dismissals before the deadline, but said such moves could trigger discrimination or automatic unfair dismissal claims.
Separate changes introduced on 6 April gave workers day-one paternity leave and Statutory Sick Pay from the first day of illness, with further employment law reforms due in 2026 and 2027.
Will the UK's tougher dismissal laws trigger a wave of firings before the January 2027 deadline?
How will the new Fair Work Agency's proactive powers change the game for UK employers and workers?