LRD guides and handbook September 2025

Law at Work 2025

Introduction

Introduction
 (984 words)

Developments in employment rights remain dominated by the Labour government’s Employment Rights Bill (ER Bill) which, at the time this handbook was ...
Subscribers only

Chapter 1

1. The employment law system [page 3] (57 words)

An individual’s employment rights arise from a combination of contractual rights, which come from the terms and conditions in their employment ...
Subscribers only

EU law since Brexit [page 3] (1,182 words)

Enforcing your rights [page 5] (2,714 words)

Chapter 2

2. Employment status and categories of worker
 [page 11] (258 words)

Some employment rights, such as the rate of pay and hours of work, are determined by the employment contract. These are contractual rights and are ...
Subscribers only

Employee, worker or self-employed?
 [page 11] (3,132 words)

Agency workers
 [page 17] (3,812 words)

Apprentices

 [page 25] (384 words)

Children [page 26] (201 words)

Fixed-term (temporary) employees
 [page 26] (1,162 words)

Homeworkers
 [page 28] (216 words)

Interns
 [page 29] (356 words)

Part-time workers [page 29] (1,645 words)

Predictable hours
 [page 33] (183 words)

Volunteers

 [page 33] (560 words)

Zero hours contract workers


 [page 34] (840 words)

Chapter 3

3. Starting work and the employment contract [page 37] (120 words)

An employment relationship starts when an individual agrees to work for an employer on certain terms. The terms agreed will form a contract and this ...
Subscribers only

Pre-employment checks


 [page 37] (3,014 words)

The employment contract [page 42] (8,878 words)

Chapter 4

4. Pay and conditions [page 59] (51 words)

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) [page 59] (4,949 words)

Pay slips and pay intervals [page 68] (294 words)

Wage deductions and shortfalls [page 68] (2,374 words)

Guarantee pay (lay-off or short-time working) [page 72] (654 words)

Paid medical suspension [page 73] (207 words)

Overtime [page 74] (377 words)

Pensions [page 75] (1,025 words)

Working hours and breaks [page 77] (1,548 words)

WTR record keeping [page 80] (2,121 words)

Annual leave and pay [page 83] (3,468 words)

Chapter 5

Sick pay and sickness absence [page 91] (199 words)

The Fit Note [page 91] (644 words)

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) [page 92] (486 words)

Contractual sick pay [page 93] (2,068 words)

Keeping in touch with staff on sick leave [page 97] (259 words)

Absence management procedures [page 97] (855 words)

Sickness absence dismissals [page 99] (2,923 words)

Pregnancy-related sickness absence [page 104] (207 words)

Sickness absence during notice period [page 104] (60 words)

Sickness absence and strike action [page 104] (136 words)

Sickness absence and redundancy selection [page 104] (108 words)

Medical reports and records [page 105] (200 words)

Data protection [page 105] (80 words)

Chapter 6

6. Trade unions and collective organisation [page 107] (712 words)

Trade union human rights and international law [page 108] (715 words)

Statement of Trade Union Rights [page 109] (71 words)

Outlawing of closed shop [page 109] (54 words)

Trade union recognition [page 109] (3,089 words)

Derecognition [page 115] (279 words)

Right of Access [page 115] (276 words)

Offers to end collective bargaining (unlawful inducements) [page 116] (731 words)

Time off for union duties and activities [page 117] (2,739 words)

Rights to information for collective bargaining [page 122] (495 words)

Protection of union members from unfavourable treatment [page 123] (2,883 words)

Anti-union blacklisting [page 128] (1,378 words)

Interim relief [page 130] (71 words)

Disciplinary action against union representatives [page 130] (85 words)

European Works Councils [page 130] (215 words)

ICE Regulations [page 131] (574 words)

Internal union matters [page 132] (2,515 words)

Chapter 7

7. Industrial action [page 137] (400 words)

The right to strike
 [page 137] (1,099 words)

The immunities
 [page 139] (5,016 words)

Minimum service levels [page 148] (653 words)

Ban on using agency workers to replace striking workers
 [page 150] (409 words)

Picketing [page 150] (1,807 words)

Criminal law
 [page 154] (233 words)

Injunctions [page 154] (516 words)

Protection from dismissal [page 155] (411 words)

Deducting pay
 [page 156] (439 words)

Lockouts
 [page 157] (260 words)

Annual reporting duty — industrial action
 [page 157] (174 words)

Chapter 8

8. Time off and flexible working
 [page 159] (218 words)

Time off work [page 159] (2,421 words)

Flexible working [page 164] (1,539 words)

Chapter 9

9. Family leave [page 169] (864 words)

Priority treatment during redundancy [page 170] (1,007 words)

Maternity leave and pay [page 172] (2,749 words)

Adoption leave and pay [page 177] (1,398 words)

Neonatal Care Leave [page 180] (453 words)

Paternity leave and pay [page 181] (1,179 words)

Shared parental leave and pay [page 183] (1,712 words)

Unpaid parental leave [page 187] (478 words)

Parental bereavement leave and pay [page 188] (508 words)

Carer’s leave [page 189] (772 words)

Chapter 10

10. Discrimination
 [page 191] (315 words)

Equality law
 [page 191] (495 words)

The protected characteristics under the EA 10
 [page 192] (12,890 words)

Who is protected from discrimination?
 [page 216] (1,113 words)

Types of discrimination
 [page 218] (8,394 words)

Where discrimination may occur in a work context
 [page 233] (4,248 words)

Positive action
 [page 241] (370 words)

Equal pay
 [page 242] (8,013 words)

Compensation
 [page 256] (1,486 words)

Chapter 11

11. Dismissal
 [page 261] (274 words)

Time limits
 [page 261] (202 words)

Difference between wrongful and unfair dismissal
 [page 262] (318 words)

What is a dismissal?
 [page 262] (922 words)

Right to notice and notice pay
 [page 264] (1,386 words)

Non-renewal of a fixed-term contract
 [page 266] (172 words)

Constructive dismissal
 [page 267] (1,849 words)

What makes a dismissal unfair?
 [page 270] (1,626 words)

Capability dismissals
 [page 273] (379 words)

Conduct dismissals
 [page 274] (4,809 words)

Redundancy
 [page 283] (105 words)

Legal duty or restriction
 [page 283] (412 words)

Some other substantial reason
 [page 284] (179 words)

Dismissal for refusing to agree changes to terms and conditions
 [page 285] (1,600 words)

Dismissals due to breakdown in trust and confidence
 [page 288] (121 words)

Dismissals due to third party pressure
 [page 288] (110 words)

Dismissal for refusing to sign a restrictive covenant
 [page 288] (69 words)

Dismissal for manifesting offensive political opinions
 [page 288] (94 words)

Dismissal due to return of original post-holder
 [page 288] (109 words)

Employees accused of a criminal offence
 [page 289] (247 words)

Retirement
 [page 289] (61 words)

Automatically unfair reasons for dismissal
 [page 289] (1,928 words)

The effective date of termination
 [page 293] (962 words)

Continuous employment
 [page 295] (775 words)

Illegality and unfair dismissal rights
 [page 296] (244 words)

Interim relief
 [page 297] (576 words)

Reinstatement or re-engagement
 [page 298] (631 words)

Compensation
 [page 299] (2,149 words)

Insolvency
 [page 303] (190 words)

The statutory right to be accompanied
 [page 304] (910 words)

Chapter 12

12. Redundancy [page 307] (68 words)

Definition of redundancy [page 307] (1,452 words)

Redundancy procedure [page 309] (2,742 words)

Alternative work [page 314] (2,316 words)

Has there been a dismissal? [page 319] (809 words)

Notice [page 320] (268 words)

Unfair dismissal and redundancy [page 321] (2,026 words)

Apprentices [page 325] (285 words)

Redundancy pay [page 325] (2,855 words)

Collective redundancies [page 331] (4,426 words)

Chapter 13

13. Transfers and service provision changes (TUPE) [page 341] (220 words)

Key facts [page 341] (231 words)

What types of employer are covered by TUPE? [page 342] (172 words)

Who is covered by TUPE? [page 342] (232 words)

Relevant transfers [page 342] (2,465 words)

Who transfers? [page 347] (1,095 words)

Objecting to a transfer [page 349] (97 words)

Transfer causing substantial detrimental change [page 349] (484 words)

Constructive dismissal [page 350] (88 words)

Workforce reorganisation before a transfer [page 350] (743 words)

Consultation and collective rights [page 351] (2,523 words)

Employee liability information [page 356] (150 words)

Transfers within public administration [page 357] (192 words)

Return of the two-tier workforce [page 357] (217 words)

Effect of TUPE on terms and conditions [page 357] (492 words)

TUPE and pensions [page 358] (671 words)

Public service outsourcing [page 360] (756 words)

Collective agreements and union recognition [page 361] (143 words)

TUPE and contract changes [page 361] (2,562 words)

Unfair dismissal and TUPE [page 366] (1,271 words)

TUPE and insolvency [page 368] (336 words)

Chapter 14

14. Whistleblowing
 [page 371] (95 words)

What is a protected disclosure? [page 371] (945 words)

Who is protected?
 [page 373] (568 words)

Who should disclosures be made to? [page 374] (262 words)

Claims and remedies [page 374] (919 words)

Further guidance [page 376] (186 words)

Chapter 15

15. Data protection, surveillance and monitoring
 [page 377] (218 words)

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
 [page 377] (213 words)

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) [page 377] (4,254 words)

Monitoring at work [page 386] (1,015 words)

Privacy, data protection and technology [page 388] (495 words)

Chapter 16

16. Bringing a tribunal claim
 [page 391] (38 words)

First steps — preparing to submit a claim
 [page 391] (1,977 words)

Employees outside Great Britain [page 394] (91 words)

Making a claim [page 394] (1,619 words)

The tribunal process [page 397] (3,266 words)

The tribunal hearing [page 403] (1,471 words)

Enforcing ET awards and costs orders
 [page 406] (197 words)

Appealing to the Employment Appeal Tribunal
 [page 406] (315 words)

Settling a claim
 [page 407] (1,954 words)

Tribunal reform [page 411] (285 words)

Sources of legal advice and support
 [page 411] (52 words)

Further information

Further information
 [page 413] (1,522 words)