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Cornwall HR Solutions Independent HR Consultant supporting business owners with practical HR solutions

Wednesday HUGE update for UK employers: unfair dismissal qualifying period drops from 2 years to 6 months!Although the c...
07/10/2026

Wednesday HUGE update for UK employers: unfair dismissal qualifying period drops from 2 years to 6 months!

Although the change takes effect on 1 January 2027, it already affects anyone you hire from 1 July 2026, because they’ll reach 6 months’ service by 1 January and gain the right immediately.

What this means in practice:
- Probation: if you run 6 month probation, it now ends exactly when unfair dismissal rights switch on. Business owners may want to consider shorter probation (i.e. 3 months) with earlier review checkpoints and clear pass/fail criteria.
- Notice periods: statutory notice counts towards continuous service when assessing the qualifying period, even if you don’t work it. Check contractual notice and termination dates carefully.
- Fixed term contracts: non‑renewal is a dismissal! From Jan 2027, expiry of a fixed term at 6+ months’ service needs a fair reason and fair process (often redundancy or completion of task).
- Short service redundancies: redundancy remains a potentially fair reason, but process matters more, sooner. Expect less tolerance for “quick” exits once your staff hit 6 months.

Action now by:
- Auditing your contracts/handbook for probation length and review dates.
- Mapping current start dates to identify who will hit 6 months by 1 Jan 2027.
- Offering manager guidance on fair reasons, evidence and procedure.
- Reviewing fixed term and cover contracts for end date risk.

Need a quick gap analysis or updated probation/redundancy templates? Get in touch [email protected].

Managing Absence in the workplace!I attended a very insightful CIPD webinar on managing absence and sick pay in light of...
29/09/2026

Managing Absence in the workplace!

I attended a very insightful CIPD webinar on managing absence and sick pay in light of the Employment Rights Act 2025, led by the amazing Amanda Chadwick.

Keeping up to date with the latest legislation and employment law developments is an important part of the support I provide to my clients. These practical webinars help me turn legal updates into clear guidance for the employers I work with.

I’ll share some of the key components of effective absence management to be aware of as a business owner/ manager:

- Ensure you have clear rules on employee contact and organisational expectations.
- Always carry out Return to work and welfare meetings.
- Offer support and guidance for managers dealing with sickness absence.
- Signpost appropriate support, such as an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), occupational health or stress-management tools.
- Follow a clear and fair formal process for managing absence.

Managing absence effectively can be challenging for business owners, particularly when balancing employee wellbeing, operational needs and legal obligations, but I am here to help.

If you’re a business owner and need guidance with managing absence or sick pay in your organisation, please get in touch.

This week is all about making sure my clients are up to speed with the latest employment updates.From next month, UK emp...
23/09/2026

This week is all about making sure my clients are up to speed with the latest employment updates.

From next month, UK employers face wider right to work checks, new supply chain liability and stronger harassment duties. If you use any contractors, agency staff, outsourced services or customer facing roles, you need to be ready.

I have drafted a Compliance Health check list to help business owners ensure they are legally compliant in line with the new legislation changes. This covers:

~ Right to Work simple steps to map out your workforce, check non-employees, and review supplier contracts.
~ Supply Chain risks including clear guidance to spot where your casual staff or services come from and understand where your legal liability sits.
~ Sexual Harassment: quick prompts to review your policies, update staff training, and prove you have taken “all reasonable steps” to protect your team.
~ Third-Party Harassment practical checks on managing risks from customers, clients, or visitors, alongside easy reporting routes and incident handling tips.
~ Trade Union access: a straightforward framework to add mandatory union rights info to your onboarding paperwork and handle new workplace access requests smoothly.

If you’d like to have a chat about these changes and the support you need for your business, get in touch [email protected].

Sexual harassment law is changing on 30 October 2026The Employment Rights Act 2025 will raise the standard for business ...
14/09/2026

Sexual harassment law is changing on 30 October 2026

The Employment Rights Act 2025 will raise the standard for business owners and there’s nowhere to hide from it. The current duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment will become a duty to take all reasonable steps.

This means reacting to a complaint is not enough. As a business owner you will need to think proactively about the risks in your organisation, take appropriate preventative action and keep evidence of what you have done.

The changes will also cover harassment by third parties, such as customers, clients, contractors and members of the public. This protection applies to harassment linked to any protected characteristic, not only sexual harassment, including race, religion or belief, age, disability and sexual orientation.

ACAS is urging employers to prepare now. Its guidance highlights the importance of:

- Assessing the specific risks of sexual harassment in your workplace.
- Consulting employees about those risks and potential solutions.
- Reviewing policies and reporting procedures.
- Providing meaningful and regular training.
- Taking action as soon as concerns are raised.
- Keeping clear evidence of the preventative steps taken and reviewing their effectiveness.

ACAS has also reported that around two in five employers are unaware of the upcoming changes, so now is the time to check whether your organisation is ready!

The key question is no longer simply: “What will we do if someone complains?”
It should now be: “What have we done to reduce the risk of harassment happening in the first place?”

If you need support reviewing your policies or harassment risk assessments, do get in touch.

Zero-hours contracts are changing... is your business ready?The biggest shake-up to zero-hours contracts in a generation...
01/09/2026

Zero-hours contracts are changing... is your business ready?

The biggest shake-up to zero-hours contracts in a generation is on the way under the Employment Rights Act reforms, and the Government estimates it will cost UK businesses around £2.9 billion a year.
If you use zero-hours workers in hospitality, health & social care or education, this is likely to affect you directly.

Here’s what’s coming and what I’d advise doing now.

What’s changing:
- employers will need to offer guaranteed hours to eligible workers, based on hours worked over a reference period (the Government’s current preference is 12 weeks).
- advance notice before shifts are confirmed, cancelled or changed, with compensation payable when this isn’t done.
- the eligibility threshold is still being consulted on (somewhere between 8 and 20 hours per week).
- reforms are expected to come into force in the second half of 2027, but from 1 January 2027, some zero-hours workers who are genuinely employees, could claim unfair dismissal after six months.
- non-compliance penalties could reach up to £20,000 per worker, enforced by the Fair Work Agency.

My top tips for business owners right now:
- scrutinise where, why and how you use zero-hours contracts. Is there a genuine need or just habit, or maybe fixed-term or temporary contracts may be a better fit for some roles.
- get your data in order, check how many zero-hours workers do you have and what hours are they actually working? Model 12, 26 and 52-week reference periods.
- don’t cut hours prematurely, reducing hours now without checking contracts could land you in breach.

Need help reviewing your contracts and ensure you’re ready for the changes?
As an HR consultant working with SMEs, care homes and charities across the South West, I can help you audit your current arrangements and put a plan in place before the rules are finalised. Drop me a message or comment below.

EmploymentRightsAct HRCompliance SocialCare Hospitality SouthWestBusiness HRSupport

Important HR update: disciplinary and grievance procedures may be changing!!!!ACAS is consulting on a major update to it...
21/08/2026

Important HR update: disciplinary and grievance procedures may be changing!!!!

ACAS is consulting on a major update to its Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, the first significant revision since 2009.
The proposed changes place greater emphasis on resolving issues early and informally, before they escalate into formal action.

Potential changes include:
- Keeping a clear record of any early attempts to resolve the issue, including the reasons for moving straight to a formal procedure where appropriate.
- Treating suspension as a carefully considered step rather than an automatic response, while ensuring the employee understands what it means and why it has been used.
- Giving employees greater flexibility over who supports them at workplace meetings, including considering companions who do not fall within the usual statutory categories.

Why does this matter for you as a business owner/ manager?
Employment tribunals must take the ACAS Code into account. Where there has been an unreasonable failure to follow it, tribunal awards can potentially be increased by up to 25%.

Although the revised Code is not yet final, now is a good time to review:
- Your disciplinary and grievance policies
- How managers handle concerns at an early stage
- Your suspension and investigation procedures
- Your documentation and record-keeping.

Getting ahead of potential changes now can help your organisation respond consistently, fairly and lawfully when the final Code is published. If you think you should look into your processes, get in touch :)

14/08/2026

Happy Friday! 🥳

Quick question for a Thursday … as a business owner, have you reviewed your Right to Work processes yet?From 1 October 2...
13/08/2026

Quick question for a Thursday … as a business owner, have you reviewed your Right to Work processes yet?

From 1 October 2026, Right to Work checks are expanding to cover areas such as worker contracts, individual subcontractors and businesses operating online platforms that match service providers with customers.

If your business uses agency workers, subcontractors, labour suppliers or other flexible working arrangements, these changes could affect you.

Sadly, the penalties can go up to £45,000 per illegal worker, so getting your processes right is important!

This week, I’ve been helping clients review their HR processes, get ahead of these changes and put practical systems in place to reduce risk.

If you’re not sure whether your current HR processes are ready, let’s have a chat.

HRServices

13/08/2026

Quick question for a Thursday… as a business owner, have you reviewed your Right to Work processes yet?

From 1 October 2026, Right to Work checks are expanding to cover areas such as worker contracts, individual subcontractors and businesses operating online platforms that match service providers with customers.

If your business uses agency workers, subcontractors, labour suppliers or other flexible working arrangements, these changes could affect you.

Sadly, the penalties can go up to £45,000 per illegal worker, so getting your processes right is important!

This week, I’ve been helping clients review their HR processes, get ahead of these changes and put practical systems in place to reduce risk.

If you’re not sure whether your current HR processes are ready, let’s have a chat.

Heads up to my Devon& Cornwall business owners!If HR has been sitting on your ‘I’ll deal with it later’ list… you are de...
16/07/2026

Heads up to my Devon& Cornwall business owners!

If HR has been sitting on your ‘I’ll deal with it later’ list… you are definitely not alone.

I speak to so many local business owners who are:
- Unsure if their contracts and policies are up to date
- Spending too much time on HR issues
- Worried about getting things wrong when it comes to employment law.

So, I thought I would do something to help this summer.

I am offering a limited number of FREE HR Audits for local businesses. It’s a simple, no-pressure review where I will:
- Highlight any risks or gaps
- Give you clear, practical advice
- Help you feel more confident about your HR setup
- No hard sell, just honest support.

If it has been on your mind for a while, now is a great time to get it sorted. Drop me an email [email protected].

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