HR Inner Circle

The UK’s leading membership organisation for HR professionals

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The Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers continues to have significant implications for employers, with updated government guidance now confirming changes to the way gender pay gap reporting should be approached.

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In a labour market focused on wellbeing and inclusion, fostering policies may soon become another important benchmark of a genuinely family-friendly workplace.

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The right to request flexible working is a day-one right for all employees in the UK. Crucially, however, it is only a right to request flexible working, not a right to have the request granted.

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For employers, the practical message is straightforward. Once litigation or discrimination complaints arise, every subsequent interaction with the former employee should be approached carefully and objectively.

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For HR professionals, ‘protected conversations’ under section 111A of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996) remain a valuable, but often misunderstood, tool.

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Permanent health insurance (PHI) is the employment benefit which breaks the rules. It can outlive employment, restrict an employer's ability to dismiss, and expose businesses to liabilities lasting decades.

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From 6th April 2026, the right to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) changed in ways that most employees will celebrate and most employers will not.

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Employers need to take all reasonable steps to prevent third party harassment.

https://t.co/HN1eBAMq9b

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Although the burden might be shifting on ‘all reasonable steps’ (at least insofar as third party harassment is concerned), employers are still going to need to approach the concept in the same way.

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As we reflect on last week’s awareness day, the key takeaway is this: the Equality Act 2010 does not simply require employers to respond to discrimination. It requires them to anticipate, prevent, and, if at all possible, eliminate it.

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Managing underperformance is rarely straightforward and requires a balanced approach that combines clear expectations, early intervention, and a fair, well-documented process.

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[HR Inner Circle @hrinnercircle]

In a climate of growing public debate, HR’s role is therefore not to police diagnosis. It is to ensure that workplaces remain fair, lawful and responsive to the people within them.

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If they do, and the business has not taken the time to understand and comply with their obligations, then the exposure is potentially huge.

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Employers need to take the time to consider carefully, whenever redundancies (or large scale ‘no-fault’ dismissals) are in the offing, whether their proposals trigger collective consultation obligations.

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Small, thoughtful steps can help employers demonstrate cultural competence, reduce legal risk, and strengthen employee trust during Ramadan.

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As Milrine shows, forgetting (or mishandling) the appeal process can be the difference between a lawful exit and an unfair dismissal.

https://t.co/8iVkwcAyrA

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Dismissal decisions are rarely judged in isolation. Tribunals look at the whole journey – and the appeal is often the final, critical chapter.

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What rights do employers have where there has been an overpayment of wages? In this article, we look at how overpayments of wages are treated under UK law.

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The lesson from Taylor Swift isn’t that everyone should give eye-watering bonuses. It’s that reward, when authentic and well-timed, is powerful.

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[HR Inner Circle @hrinnercircle]

For HR, the challenge is to balance that emotional impact with the legal and commercial realities - ensuring generosity doesn’t come at the cost of control.