Author profile
Founder and Editor · Cape Town, South Africa
Rees founded EmployerKit to give UK SME owners plain-English guidance on employment law. He runs Levity Leads and consults as a CMO. All content on the site is researched from primary sources (ACAS, GOV.UK, ONS, MoJ, CIPD, TPR, EHRC) and reviewed before publication. Rees is not a lawyer. EmployerKit is written for UK employers who need to act, not for employees looking up their rights.
To dismiss an employee fairly you need a fair reason and a fair process. The exact steps for UK small businesses, plus what changes in October 2026 and January 2027.
UK employers must answer subject access requests within one month. Legal duties, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 changes, and a DSAR process.
UK employers must comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 for employee data. Lawful bases, retention, privacy notices, and practical steps.
A complete employer guide to the Working Time Regulations 1998: the 48-hour weekly limit, opt-outs, rest breaks, record keeping, and enforcement risks.
How to build a sickness absence policy that protects your business and treats staff fairly. Notification rules, fit notes, and the 2026 SSP changes.
A practical guide for UK employers on whistleblowing policies, protected disclosures, and the 2026 ERA change that adds sexual harassment.
A step-by-step guide to calculating statutory redundancy pay in 2026, including the £751 weekly cap, age multipliers, and worked examples for employers.
The Fair Work Agency launched in April 2026 as the UK's single employment enforcement body. What it means for employers and how to prepare for 2027.
A plain English, step by step grievance procedure for UK employers. Covers the Acas Code, timelines, meetings, appeals, and common costly mistakes.
What UK employers need to know about workplace pension auto-enrolment in 2026: thresholds, minimum contributions, re-enrolment, and compliance.
A plain English guide for UK employers on DBS checks: when they are required, which level to use, how to request them, and how to handle results lawfully.
A plain English guide for UK employers on the difference between employees, workers, and contractors, including the tests HMRC and tribunals apply.
Learn how to calculate Statutory Maternity Pay step by step. SMP rates for 2026/27, qualifying rules, HMRC recovery, and common employer mistakes.
Shared parental leave explained for UK employers. Eligibility, notice rules, ShPP rates for 2026/27, SPLIT days, and how to manage SPL requests.
The ERA 2025 extends employer liability for third-party harassment. What the new duty means, how it builds on the 2023 Act, and what to do now.
A step-by-step guide to UK capability procedures: run a fair performance improvement process, avoid unfair dismissal claims, and document it right.
What constructive dismissal means for UK employers, common causes, how to avoid claims, and what to do if an employee resigns and claims it.
Everything UK employers need to include in a staff handbook. Covers ERA 2025 updates, disciplinary procedures, policies, and legal requirements.
UK employer obligations on employment references. What you must include, what you cannot say, how to handle bad references, and your liability.
UK employment law for care home and domiciliary care employers. Sleep-in shifts, zero hours contracts, DBS checks, ERA 2025 changes, and NMW compliance.
UK employment law essentials for hospitality employers. Zero hours contracts, tipping rules, NMW compliance, ERA 2025 changes, and what you need to do now.
A step-by-step guide to the employment tribunal process for UK employers. What happens after a claim, typical costs, and how to prepare a strong defence.
The ERA 2025 strengthens flexible working rights in Autumn 2026. What changes, how the 8 refusal reasons are affected, and how to update policies.
What gardening leave is, when UK employers can use it, how to pay during gardening leave, and what to include in your employment contract clause.
What counts as gross misconduct in UK employment law, the correct dismissal process, and how to protect yourself from unfair dismissal claims.
The ERA 2025 right to guaranteed hours is coming in Autumn 2026. What it means for employers using zero hours contracts and how to prepare now.
A step-by-step guide to writing a legally compliant employment contract in the UK. Covers ERA 2025 rules, the written statement, and what to include.
IR35 and off-payroll rules explained for UK employers. Who determines employment status, the risks of getting it wrong, and how the CEST tool works.
How to manage long-term sickness absence legally and fairly in the UK. Covers SSP, occupational health, adjustments, and fair ill-health dismissal.
All national minimum wage rates for 2026, employer obligations, how to check compliance, and the penalties for underpaying workers in the UK.
What makes a non-compete clause enforceable in the UK, how to draft one that stands up, and what courts look for when employers try to enforce them.
Statutory and contractual notice periods explained for UK employers. How to calculate notice pay, what happens during notice, and gardening leave rules.
How to issue a P45 when an employee leaves, HMRC requirements, timing rules, and what to do if you make a mistake. A practical guide for UK employers.
UK employer obligations on the right to be accompanied at disciplinary and grievance hearings. Who qualifies, who can attend, and what if you refuse.
When to use settlement agreements, how they work, typical costs, and what employers need to know to use them correctly under UK employment law.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 brought new employer obligations from 6 April 2026. This checklist covers every live change and what comes next.
The National Living Wage rose to £12.71 per hour on 1 April 2026. Every age-band rate, the payroll timing rule, underpayment traps, and HMRC penalties.
There is no automatic right to paid bank holidays in UK law. Entitlement depends entirely on the employment contract. Here is what employers must know.
From 6 April 2026, the protective award for failing to consult on collective redundancy doubled to 180 days' pay per employee. What it means for employers.
What actually changed with day one unfair dismissal rights: the qualifying period drops from two years to six months on 1 January 2027, and the compensation cap goes.
A step-by-step guide to running a fair disciplinary process in the UK. Follow the ACAS Code, document everything, and cut your tribunal risk.
UK law requires a written statement of particulars from day one. This checklist covers every item to include, plus what ERA 2025 changes for employers.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is the biggest change to UK employment law in a generation. Every change, when it takes effect, and what employers must do.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 restricts fire and rehire from January 2027. What it is, why the rules are changing, and how to vary terms lawfully.
Every employee can request flexible working from day one, and the ERA 2025 raises the bar on how employers respond. Current rules and 2026 changes.
UK holiday pay rules are more complex than most employers realise. Statutory entitlement, calculating pay for different worker types, and the 2026 changes.
Everything UK employers need to know about maternity leave: entitlement, pay, keeping in touch, returning to work, and the protections that apply.
From 6 April 2026, paternity leave is a day one right. The 26-week qualifying period is gone, notice is cut, and new bereaved partner rules apply.
Probation period rules under the Employment Rights Act 2025: with unfair dismissal rights starting at six months from January 2027, your probation process becomes your main legal protection.
A step-by-step guide to running a fair redundancy process in the UK, updated for 2026 including the doubled protective award for collective redundancies.
Every UK employer must check the right to work before an employee starts. Who to check, which documents are acceptable, and how to do an online check.
From October 2026, employers must take 'all reasonable steps' to prevent sexual harassment, including by third parties. What it means and what to do.
From 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay starts on the first day of absence. No waiting period, no earnings threshold. What changed and what to update.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 strengthens trade union rights. What changed, when, and what employers must do to stay compliant.
TUPE protects employees when a business or service changes hands. When it applies, your obligations as incoming or outgoing employer, and common mistakes.
Zero hours contracts are still legal in the UK, but the rules are changing. The ERA 2025 gives workers the right to guaranteed hours. What to do now.