Employment Law Health Check
Find out where you stand from £199 + VAT
Talk to an experienced employment lawyer about your contracts, handbook and policies, and learn what needs attention first.
If you need our help afterwards, your health check fee is credited towards any follow-up work you go ahead with within 60 days.
What's changing, and what it could mean for your business
More time to bring a claim.
From 1 October 2026, employees will generally have up to six months rather than three months to bring most tribunal claims extending the period during which claims can be lodged.
Protection from an earlier point.
From 1 January 2027, employees can bring an unfair dismissal claim after six months’ service instead of two years. Recruitment and probationary periods will therefore become more important than ever, giving employers a much shorter window to assess performance, suitability and conduct before unfair dismissal rights arise.
No cap on compensation.
From the same date, the limit on unfair dismissal compensation goes, so one misstep in how someone is dismissed could turn into a much bigger bill. This means the cost of getting a dismissal wrong could increase significantly, particularly for senior, highly paid or long-serving employees. Employers should review their policies, manager training and dismissal procedures now to minimise risk.
That's why it's worth taking a look now, rather than when a claim lands.
The Employment Law Health Check gives you a practical view of where you stand. Rather than looking only at technical compliance, we consider how your current arrangements could affect the wider business, from day-to-day management and employee relationships to potential disputes and future plans.
You'll talk it all through with an experienced employment lawyer, starting from £199 + VAT. If there's anything to put right, we'll quote for it separately, and your Health Check fee is credited if you go ahead within 60 days.
Advice from someone who's seen it all before
Your Employment Law Health Check starts with a conversation, not a questionnaire. You'll speak directly with Susan Lockhart, our Legal Director for Employment Law. Susan has spent over 15 years helping businesses with everything from everyday contracts and policies to redundancies and difficult employee situations. She'll listen to how your business actually runs, then give you practical, commercially sensible advice on what to do next.
What you get
A conversation with our expert lawyer (up to 30 minutes):
Your contracts:
Your handbook:
Your key policies:
A traffic-light report:
Why undertake a review?
Sick pay from day one.
Since April 2026, statutory sick pay is payable from the first day of absence, and lower earners now qualify too. A handbook that still mentions waiting days or earnings limits could leave your managers giving the wrong answer.
Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave from day one.
These no longer depend on how long someone has worked for you. A policy asking for a minimum length of service could mean a request is turned down when it shouldn’t be.
Protection for speaking up about sexual harassment.
New whistleblowing protections for sexual harassment. Since April 2026 workers who raise concerns about sexual harassment may be protected under whistleblowing law. An outdated whistleblowing policy could leave your business exposed if concerns are not managed properly.
Liability for third-party harassment.
Employers will also need to take reasonable steps to protect employees from harassment by customers, clients and other third parties.
Flexible working requests.
The rules around flexible working have changed, making it easier for employees to make requests and placing greater obligations on employers to consult before refusing them. Policies and manager guidance should be reviewed to ensure requests are handled consistently and in line with current legal requirements.
And more is on the way:
from 1 October 2026, most tribunal claims can be brought within six months instead of three, and from 1 January 2027, employees can bring an unfair dismissal claim after six months' service. Getting your documents up to date now means you're ready when they land.
Need more than an employment law health check?
Employment Law Retainer: Ongoing access to specialist employment advice at a predictable, fixed monthly cost. Plans start from £450 + VAT.
