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What tech businesses need to know in 2026
Christopher Perrin
At our recent Tech Briefing, 'What tech businesses need to know in 2026', we explored how the EU’s Digital Omnibus package and the UK’s Employment Rights Act will reshape compliance for UK tech SMEs.
As 2026 begins, the UK is entering a period of the most substantial reform of employment rights in a generation. The Employment Rights Act 2025 (“ERA 2025”) became law in December 2025 following extensive Parliamentary debate and marks a decisive shift in the balance between employers and workers. Overall, ERA 2025 represents a material strengthening of workers’ rights in the UK, bringing employment protections closer to European standards in several key respects.
The Court of Appeal’s judgment in the important whistleblowing cases Wicked Vision and Barton Turns highlights the need for legislative reform of the UK’s outdated and ineffective rules on workplace whistleblowing. To quote from its final sentence:
The festive season is a time for joy, connection, and celebration. Yet for employers, it also brings heightened risks. Work social events, whether Christmas parties, drinks after work, or team dinners, are legally considered an extension of the workplace. That means employers can be held liable for misconduct that occurs at these gatherings, even when no harm was intended.
This week is Anti-Bullying Week, an important opportunity to reflect on workplace culture and the need to create environments where respect and inclusion are the norm. Despite increased attention on this issue, recent research highlights that one in seven workers has experienced bullying at work, so there is clearly room for improvement and progress.
Christopher Perrin
Oliver Oldman
Jessica Etherington
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