EP 413 - The UK’s new Employment Rights Act is being framed as a major step forward for workers.But what happens when stronger protections collide with the realities of hiring, risk, and running a business?In this episode, we sit down with leading employment lawyers to unpack the biggest changes: from the reduction in unfair dismissal thresholds to new restrictions on “fire and rehire,” and longer tribunal timelines.For large corporations, these shifts may be manageable.For SMEs - which create the majority of UK jobs - the implications could be far more significant.We explore the unintended consequences of well-meaning policy:Will businesses become more cautious about hiring?Does reducing flexibility increase risk?And could this ultimately impact job creation?This is a grounded, practical conversation about how employment law works in the real world and what both employers and employees need to understand as the rules change.Chapters:00:00 New Rights - Big Risks01:51 Meet Oury Clark's Employment Law Experts02:07 Is It Good or Bad03:15 Why This Act Exists04:45 Top Changes Overview05:03 Unfair Dismissal Cut06:17 Tribunal Deadlines Extended07:20 Sexual Harassment Duties08:40 Fire and Rehire Ban10:48 Redundancy Rules Tighten12:21 Fair Work Agency Powers13:23 April Changes Rundown14:50 Unfair Dismissal Deep Dive17:36 Hiring Gets Harder19:44 Contracting and EOR Rise28:34 Tribunals Backlog and ACAS32:03 AI Fuels More Claims36:59 Compensation Cap Removed42:09 Any Upsides to Reform44:25 Fire and Rehire Explained45:12 Fire and Rehire Basics46:04 Five Fair Dismissal Reasons46:57 SOSR and Business Change50:38 New Rules and Restricted Variations53:23 Tribunals and Enforcement Delays54:42 Performance Management Reality56:47 Protected Conversations Explained01:01:21 SSP Changes and Sickness Absence01:05:20 Occupational Health and Return Plans01:07:57 Sexual Harassment Duties Expand01:14:51 Practical Steps Before April01:19:14 Growth Concerns and Global Competition01:24:29 Myths Rapid Fire01:25:45 Final Thanks and Sign OffFollow us:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwblondon/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwblondon/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bwblondonTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bwblondonTwitter: https://twitter.com/bwb_london

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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