M:Brace HR

30/03/2026

The Fair Work Agency launches on 7 April 2026. And I think a lot of good employers are about to get a very unwelcome surprise.

Not because they've been cutting corners. But because employment law has a habit of creating risk in places nobody thought to look, and enforcement has, until now, been inconsistent enough that many issues have quietly gone unnoticed.

That changes next week.

The FWA can investigate without a complaint, walk in without warning, look back six years, and issue penalties of up to 200% of any underpayment on top of paying staff the arrears they're owed.

Some of the most common exposures I'd be looking at right now:

☑️ Staff required to be on site before their paid shift starts; for handovers, briefings, or getting changed
☑️ Deductions or salary sacrifice arrangements that tip someone below NMW in a single pay period
☑️ Unpaid breaks where staff are required to remain on site and available, a break is only a genuine rest break in law if people are free to leave their post
☑️ Travel time between sites or appointments not reflected in pay
☑️ Holiday pay calculations that don't account for overtime or variable pay

The care sector is a good example of how this happens. Providers introduced on-site changing requirements for entirely sound infection control reasons post-Covid, and may now be carrying an NMW liability they don't know exists. But they're far from alone. This kind of unintentional exposure turns up across hospitality, retail, logistics, and anywhere with shift-based, variable, or hourly paid workforces.

Here's the part that really matters though: underpayments corrected before an investigation opens are in a very different position to those discovered during one. Getting ahead of this, and being able to demonstrate you took proactive, independent steps to review your practices, makes an enormous difference.

I'm Jacquie, a senior People professional currently offering independent NMW and working time compliance audits. If you'd like an honest, external view of where your exposure might be and what, if anything, needs to change, I'd love to have that conversation.

DMs open, or call me on 07466 149904.

17/03/2026

⚠️ Small business owners — are you ready for the SSP changes coming in April?

Statutory Sick Pay is changing in just a few weeks and if you're not prepared, it could catch you out.

From April 2026, the waiting days rule is being removed, meaning SSP will be payable from day one of sickness absence. This affects every employer, no matter how small.

Not sure what it means for your business? I can help.

For a limited time I'm offering an Employment Rights Act Review at a discounted rate of just £175, in return for a short honest review of your experience.

In one hour I'll walk you through exactly what's changing (not just the SSP element), what it means specifically for your business, and what you need to do to make sure you're covered.

No jargon. No waffle. Just clear, practical advice from an experienced HR professional based right here in Helensburgh.

Slots are limited and April is closer than you think. Message me to book yours.

Or call me on: 07466149904

12/03/2026

Hi everyone! For those who don't know me, I'm Jacquie, founder of M:Brace, based locally in Helensburgh.

I support local businesses with people and HR issues, in a practical, non-judgemental way, always keeping the needs of the business in mind as well as the people involved.

Whether you're dealing with a tricky employee situation, not sure how to handle a performance issue, or just need someone experienced to talk something through confidentially, that's exactly what I'm here for.

No jargon. No judgement. Just straightforward, practical support when you need it.

If I can ever help, feel free to message me directly or drop a comment below. I'm always happy to have an informal chat.

Jacquie
M:Brace 🌿

09/02/2026

📢 The Government has now released its Unfair Dismissal Factsheet, confirming major reforms from 1 January 2027. This will effect every employer, in every sector. Preparation is key!

Here’s what you need to know:

From 1 January 2027, changes to unfair dismissal law will significantly reduce the time at which employees gain protection.

The key changes are:
⚖️Unfair dismissal protection will reduce from two years to six months
This means employees will be able to bring an ordinary unfair dismissal claim much earlier in their employment. For many employers, the first six months will no longer be a low-risk period.

⚖️The right to request written reasons for dismissal will also move to six months

⚖️Dismissal decisions will need to be clearly reasoned and well-documented much earlier on.

⚖️Protection relating to spent convictions will apply from day one
Employees will not need a qualifying period where dismissal is linked to a spent conviction.

⚖️The cap on compensatory awards for unfair dismissal will be removed
Awards will no longer be limited to 52 weeks’ pay or the statutory maximum, increasing financial exposure where dismissals are poorly handled.

⚖️Day one protections remain unchanged
Discrimination and automatically unfair dismissal protections already apply from the start of employment and will continue to do so.

In practical terms, this means employers will need to rely far less on length of service and far more on fair process, early conversations and confident decision-making.

⚠️Probation periods will need to be structured and active.
⚠️Managers will need support to address issues early.
⚠️Dismissal decisions will need to stand up to scrutiny much sooner.

👉 Now is the time to:

✅Review probation and early-stage performance processes
✅Upskill managers in early conversations and documentation
✅Sense-check dismissal decision-making
✅Ensure policies support fairness, not avoidance

For a calm, practical conversation about what this means for your organisation, either ping me a DM, or book in a half hour call with me here, to explore ways I can help:

Learn how Google Calendar helps you stay on top of your plans - at home, at work and everywhere in between.

06/02/2026

A friend did something similar so I decided to give it a go... me and my two dogs "ChatGPT" imaged... 🤣. I have to say, I'm impressed for a first attempt!

Your friendly, calm, local HR & Leadership expert (who loves dogs!)

I'm always open to a quick coffee chat, even if it's just to say hello and get to know each other, to talk through challenges, or just to get some quick clarity... book in a half hour video call with me here: https://calendar.app.google/6PsToS7Uuk1MCAjo9

25/01/2026

You cannot out-yoga a threatening workplace.

That’s the uncomfortable truth most wellbeing strategies quietly tip-toe around.

You can offer yoga, apps, fruit bowls, EAPs, resilience training, walking challenges, the whole shebang!

But if people don’t feel safe:
• to speak up
• to admit mistakes
• to challenge poor behaviour
• to say “I’m struggling”
• to be human without consequences

their nervous system stays in threat mode.

And when the nervous system is in threat mode:
• stress stays high
• cortisol stays elevated
• sleep suffers
• immunity dips
• concentration drops
• mistakes increase
• burnout accelerates
• engagement collapses

So wellbeing initiatives don’t just underperform.They get cancelled out biologically.

The logic is simple:
• Unsafe culture → brain detects threat
• Threat → chronic stress response
• Chronic stress → biological wear and tear
• Biological strain → burnout, illness, absence, errors
• Those → lower productivity, higher turnover, higher cost

It’s like installing smoke alarms in a building that’s still on fire.

Psychological safety = primary prevention.
Everything else = secondary support

19/01/2026

You know what really annoys me. 😤

Employers who use “values” as nothing more than a branding tactic. The ones who pretend they’re people-first, pretend they have a wonderful culture and a family vibe. ✨

You only have to look at Indeed or Glassdoor reviews to see how common this actually is. 👀

And just to be clear, I’m not talking about the odd disgruntled employee who’s been dismissed because they were genuinely the biggest jerk on the planet and are too self-entitled to see how that might have been a problem.

(I’ve worked in care environments where people were rightly dismissed for gross misconduct, including physical abuse or theft from the very people they were supposed to be caring for, and then claimed “discrimination” or bullying.)

Those employees should have seen it coming. 🚫

I’m talking about something else.

I’m talking about employers who claim to be one thing all over social media, but in reality are the complete opposite. The ones who think:

• HR is just there to “legally get rid of” someone the boss doesn’t get on with. ⚖️
• Once you sign the employment contract they own your soul and every second of every day. 👻 (“What do you mean you've got a life outside work? You’re at my beck and call, I don't think you're engaged enough.”)
• Sacking someone because they had a wee rant on social media and it’s “damaged their reputation”, when what they really mean is it’s cut through the bull$h1t and they don’t like it. 🪞
• Accusing people of being “not the right fit” because they raised a concern and that’s inconvenient. 🙄
• Creating environments run on so much fear that they are genuinely psychologically harmful to the people in them. 😔

HELLO. Work should not cause psychological harm. Or any other kind. 🛑

If you genuinely want to create a great environment where people can come and be brilliant… If you want people to be psychologically safe at work and go home able to switch off and sleep without dreading tomorrow… 🌙 If you want policies, procedures and processes that have your values and doing the right thing baked into the foundations… 🧱 But you’re not sure where to start.

M:Brace HR exists for exactly this reason; to support founders and senior teams who want to do it right from the get go! Those who are fed up with corporate, performative bu****it and want to grow real businesses built on integrity, ethics and care. 🌿

Whether you're just starting out, scaling, or have been around for a while and know things have drifted from your original vision and the culture needs a good old review and overhaul. Let’s talk. 🤝

Give me a DM on here, or if you're ready to dive on in, here's the link to book in a chat:

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

13/01/2026

The Fair Work Agency is a new UK enforcement body launching in April 2026, created to make sure basic employment rights are properly protected. It brings together things like minimum wage enforcement and agency worker regulation into one place, with stronger powers to step in where pay or treatment isn’t fair. The aim is simple: support good employers, and deal more firmly with the ones who aren’t playing by the rules.

Here's a list of the key areas for the moment:

If you want a fast gut-check, here’s what I’d review before April 2026:
1. Minimum wage audit
Are you capturing all working time properly (training, setup/close down, travel time where relevant)?
Any deductions that risk dragging pay below NMW?

2. Holiday pay
Are calculations correct for variable pay and overtime where required?
Are accrual and carry-over rules handled properly?
(Because this is explicitly in the FWA’s future enforcement scope.)

3. SSP
Are eligibility decisions consistent and documented?
Are payroll processes aligned to statutory rules?

4. Agency worker / labour provider compliance
Contracts, documentation, and treatment aligned to the AWR?

5. Modern slavery / exploitation risk points
Particularly if there’s any outsourced labour, logistics, warehousing, seasonal labour, or complex labour supply chains.

If you're unsure, and feel that a non-judgmental, friendly audit would be useful, let's talk. 😊

31/12/2025

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2026 to friends old, new and those I haven’t met yet!

Here’s to continuing to support CEO’s & Founders to create, calm, clear, human workplaces and a great 2026!

27/12/2025

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and is looking forward to a wonderful New Year!

At the moment I'm working on getting the template packs ready for M:Brace HR so that we're ready to go in the New Year. These will be policies and letters with a difference! Human, helpful, supportive and grown-up (we treat people like adults), with separate Manager Guides and mapping to legal frameworks detailed in their own documents (the mapping documents, will be great for sectors like care, where compliance to legal frameworks is expected and needs to be evidenced), while the policies themselves (the front facing docs) stick to the M:Brace, human touch!

If you're looking for HR with humanity instead of inhuman policy at it's heart then let's talk!

M:Brace your people | M:Power your future
Lead with heart. Lead with calm. Lead with courage.

17/12/2025

Ok folks, buckle up!!

The Employment Rights Bill is almost law.
But, please step away from the panic button. 🚨

After a year of parliamentary ping-pong, last-minute plot twists and a fair few “what… really?” moments, the Employment Rights Bill is heading for Royal Assent. 👑

📢The headlines are loud.
🪷The reality is… just a tad calmer.

Here’s the no-hysteria version.

• Day one unfair dismissal didn’t survive. Six months is back (from ~2027).

• The cap on unfair dismissal compensation is going. This mainly matters if you employ people with impressive job titles.

• Redundancy law keeps the “at one establishment” test, adds a business-wide trigger, and doubles penalties to 180 days’ pay if you get consultation wrong.

• Fire & rehire is restricted, not banned. Core terms only. “Fire & replace” also gets it's eviction notice.

• Guaranteed hours are coming (yes, including agency workers). Simple idea. Heroically complex ex*****on.

• New rights to notice of shifts, changes and cancellations. Spreadsheets will be harmed in the making of this.

• Family leave gets a brush-up. Service requirements go. Dismissal protections strengthen.

• Flexible working request refusals must be VERY justifiable and written down (they're tightening up on this so no more “it’s just not going to work” vibes).

• Miscarriage leave arrives. Unpaid bereavement leave for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks. (Long overdue.)

• Harassment duties tighten. Employers must take all reasonable steps. Third-party harassment included (yep, customers, clients, suppliers et al, this one could potentially bite).

• A new Fair Work Agency appears. It has teeth. It can investigate, fine, and bring claims for individuals. Umbrella companies are now on the radar.

• Trade unions gain more access (including digital), lower recognition thresholds, easier industrial action and the right to join a union will need to appear in contracts.

• NDAs can’t silence harassment or discrimination disclosures anymore. (About time!)

• Tribunal time limits extend to six months. More breathing room for individuals. Less certainty for employers.

Most of this lands in 2026–2027 and with a lot of it, the detail still needs writing (which will take time).

🔥No one needs to have a policy bonfire and panic re-write every single policy right now! But the message is abundantly clear (even if the wider detail isn't yet 😜):

Less tolerance for messy processes.
More expectation of fairness and integrity done properly.

Which, frankly, is just good leadership, and not a revolution for leaders who are doing the right thing anyway!

So, no imminent HR apocalypse, and absolutely no need for anyone to have a meltdown 🫠.

More to come as I get more info.

Now BREATHE, and go put the kettle on. ☕️