The Bellevue Brief

In this episode of The Bellevue Brief, Susanne Hartigan, Head of Legal Practice, and Associate Anjali Malik unpack the key trade union reforms introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025. They explain what the changes mean in practice for employers, including new duties to inform workers of their right to join a union, expanded rights for trade unions to access workplaces, and a simplified statutory recognition process. With many reforms coming into force through 2026, the discussion focuses on the practical implications for both unionised and non‑unionised employers, particularly SMEs, and the proactive steps organisations should be considering now to stay compliant and manage employee relations effectively.

In the latest episode of The Bellevue Brief, our Founder Florence Brocklesby and Associate Chloe Grant explore the ERA: the reform of dismissal and re-engagement, more commonly known as fire and rehire.

 These developments have the potential to impact not onlyemployers who engage in dismissal and re-engagement, but also the much more common practice of variation of contractual terms.  Below we break down the key points from Chloe and Florence’s discussion and highlight what employers should be doing now to prepare.

In the latest episode of The Bellevue Brief, our Head of Legal Practice SusanneHartigan and Associate Anjali Malik explore:

🔹What the Fair Work Agency is and how it will operate
🔹New enforcement powers across holiday pay, SSP and underpayments
🔹What the April 2026 launch means for employers
🔹Practical steps HR and payroll teams should take now

With powers to inspect workplaces, demand records, bring tribunal claims on behalf of workers, and issue penalties of up to 200% of underpayments, the FWA marks a major shift in accountability for employers.

In this episode of The Bellevue Brief, associate AnjaliMalik and Bellevue Law’s founder Florence Brocklesby explore one ofthe most significant areas of reform under the Employment Rights Act 2025: the law on sexual harassment. With several provisions coming into force over the next 18 months, employers and HR leaders need to prepare for substantial shifts in risk, responsibility, and compliance.

This blog summarises the four major changes discussed in ourconversation and outlines practical steps organisations should be taking now.

**1. Sexual Harassment Disclosures Classified asWhistleblowing

(From 6 April 2026)**

**2. A New Duty to Take All Reasonable Steps toPrevent Sexual Harassment

(Expected October 2026)**

**3. New Employer Liability for Third‑Party Harassment

(Expected October 2026)**

**4. Effective Ban on NDAs in Harassment &Discrimination Cases

(Implementation date TBC)**

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) introduces the most sweeping reforms to UK collective redundancy law in decades. With changes taking effect across 2026 and 2027, these reforms significantly increase both the likelihood of triggering collective consultation and the financial exposure for employers who get it wrong.

In this Bellevue Brief mini‑episode, recorded on 28 January 2026, Associate Chloe Grant and Senior Consultant Leigh Edgar unpack the key changes and what they mean in practice for employers. This article summarises their discussion.

1. The Current Position: When Do Collective Consultation Duties Apply?

2. What’s Changing?

3. What Employers Should Be Doing Now

4. A Clear Direction of Travel And Time to Prepare

In the latest episode of our ten‑minute podcast series, TheBellevue Brief, Head of Legal Practice Susanne Hartigan sits down with Associate Chloe Grant to unpack some of the most significant family friendly reforms introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA).

Recorded at the end of January 2026, the discussion reflectsthe current legal position, with some areas still subject to consultation.Employers should keep a close eye on updates as further regulations areexpected.

 In this episode, Susanne and Chloe explore:

• The shift to day one rights for paternity leave

• Unpaid parental leave becoming a day one entitlement

• New statutory bereavement leave provisions

• Enhanced protection from dismissal for pregnant employees and new mothers
• Practical steps employers should be taking now

Amongst the most significant changes introduced by theEmployment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) are the reforms to Unfair Dismissal Rights.Although the key changes won’t take effect until 1 January 2027, employers need to start preparing now.

In this ten‑minute “Bellevue Brief” special, SeniorConsultants Imogen Finnegan and Leigh Edgar discuss what’schanging and what HR teams, managers and business leaders should be doing now to strengthen processes and protect their organisations. This blog summarises the practical takeaways from that conversation.

1. Unfair Dismissal Qualifying Period Cut to Six Months2. Unfair Dismissal Compensation Is Being Removed3. Probation Periods Will Become a Critical Risk-Management Tool4. Extra Care Needed for Senior Hires5. Tribunal Time Limits Increase to Six Months6. What Employers Should Do NowProactive preparation will reduce legal exposure and help build stronger, higher‑performing teams.

In this special ERA-focused edition of The Bellevue Brief, Founder Florence Brocklesby and COO Kay Osborne share how Bellevue Law is preparing for the most significant overhaul of UK employment law in decades.

They discuss the practical, legal and operational challenges posed by the Employment Rights Act, including:

• why ERA planning is a major change-management project
• the importance of leadership buy-in beyond HR
• key organisational risks for employers
• what Bellevue Law is doing internally around recruitment, onboarding, performance management and harassment prevention
• how employers can build a structured, proactive project plan to navigate the reforms

Whether you’re just beginning to assess your ERA exposure or already planning your implementation roadmap, this episode offers practical steps to help you prepare your business for the changes ahead.

Redundancy can be tough on everyone involved – the affected employees, the businesses having to make challenging decisions about valued members of staff, and the managers needing to share bad news. Headcount reductions can also profoundly impact colleagues left behind (which, in turn, can affect culture and morale). In this final episode of our first season of The Bellevue Brief podcast, our founder Florence Brocklesby and senior consultant solicitors Ellie Gilbert and Susie Al-Qassab explore how to manage redundancies ethically, why it matters, and why doing so may be good for business.

In the forth episode of our new podcast, The BellevueBrief, we explore the evolving legal position regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, through the lens of the Worker Protection Act 2023 (“WPA”) and the “preventative duty” it imposes on employers. Bellevue Law’s Florence Brocklesby and Georgina Calvert-Leen unpack what’s changed since that law came into force in October 2024, discuss the impact those changes have had, and look ahead to explore what’s still to come.