News & Updates

Employment Appeal Tribunal rulings from February 2026 cover a wide range of issues — from the dangers of defective dismissal appeals to the limits of whistleblowing protection, the treatment of religious belief in recruitment, and the proper approach to composite misconduct.

Six Employment Appeal Tribunal decisions from January and February 2026 cover disciplinary fairness, Polkey reductions, section 15 discrimination, post-TUPE pay, state immunity and the reach of COT3 settlement agreements. The cases carry practical lessons across a wide range of everyday employment situations.

Across whistleblowing remedies, discrimination timing, COT3 settlement effect, costs and redundancy consultation, the EAT reinforces a consistent theme: technical framing, evidence and statutory gateways frequently drive the final result.

This month’s Employment Appeal Tribunal round-up highlights the practical pitfalls that catch employers and claimants alike — from 48-hour deadline slips, to recurring bias allegations, to how closely tribunals scrutinise warnings, capability processes and even status disputes. Here are the EAT decisions HR teams should know about — and what each one tells us about process, documentation and getting the basics right.

A sharp set of EAT rulings this week offers timely reminders for HR, legal and in-house teams: wasted-costs threats remain high-risk, fair procedure still rules even in clear capability cases, and tribunals continue to scrutinise documentation, reasoning and process at every stage. Here’s what HR needs to know.

The government is cracking down on so-called “fire and rehire” tactics — where employers dismiss staff who refuse new terms and then offer to rehire them on revised contracts. While this approach has long been controversial, it’s about to become almost impossible to use legally in most circumstances.

Employers are being encouraged to review their family-leave policies as the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) calls for sweeping reforms to the UK’s parental-leave system. The proposals would significantly enhance rights for fathers and partners, aiming to drive equality, retention, and workplace culture change.

A fresh batch of Employment Appeal Tribunal rulings highlights where privilege ends, how far pleadings can stretch, and why precision matters from day one.

From 6 April 2024, UK employees now have a day-one statutory right to request flexible working. Employers must consult before refusing, and respond within two months (unless an extension is agreed in writing).

A major reset is underway in how confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) can be used in UK workplaces. From universities to boardrooms, the law is shifting decisively toward transparency around harassment and discrimination — and employers need to start adapting now.