A very important change to employment law takes effect on 1 October 2026 and it’s something all employer’s need to be aware of…
As of 1 October 2026, employees will have 6 months to make a claim. This is double the time they currently have.
It means that were an employee to startearly conciliation with ACAS towards the end of the 6 month period, which can take up to 12 weeks, it might be 9 months before the employee even gets to the point of making a claim to the Employment Tribunal (ET). With current delays in the ET, it could be another month before the claim lands on the employer’s desk, meaning 10 months since the event or incident occurred.
It is anticipated that the extension in time will lead to an increase in employment claims, making it all the more important for employer’s to be proactive in managing this change. It is therefore vital employer’s handle issues that arise in a timely manner and follow correct procedures. An employer will feel a lot more confident in responding to a claim regarding an incident that took place nearly a year ago, if they have retained accurate and concise recordings of everything that has happened. Documentation and good record keeping is essential.
We are able to deliver training to you and/or your colleagues on any employment matters including the upcoming changes in employment law. If this is something you would like further information on, please contact us.