The HRTech Wire · tag
Every HR-technology story tagged #UK regulation.
A new statutory right of access for trade unions to workplaces took effect on 30 October, according to HR Grapevine. The article gathers expert commentary on what has changed and what it means for workplace policy and practice. Employment-law changes of this kind affect how HR teams manage union access and related policies.
The UK government has announced plans for default pensions that would give around 17 million private sector workers who save into a pension the option of a retirement income, narrowing the gap with public sector schemes. The source text is a short excerpt, so timing, scheme design and implementation details are not confirmed here. The move is a pension-policy change that employers and their payroll and benefits systems may need to accommodate.
The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called for a ban on employers asking candidates about their past salary or pay expectations. The watchdog argues the practice carries existing pay gaps into new roles, which matters for recruiting teams that use pay questions in applicant screening.
The UK Supreme Court has refused Tesco's bid to appeal an equal pay case in which predominantly female shop workers allege they are paid less than mainly male distribution centre employees for work of equal value, according to HR Grapevine.
The UK government is proposing measures to close bogus self-employment loopholes, according to GOV.UK, with over 900,000 workers potentially affected — a development HR and people-ops leaders should monitor for compliance and workforce classification obligations.
The UK Cabinet Office faces a £38.5 million tax bill plus up to £8.9 million in penalties from HMRC after the government department reportedly failed to take reasonable care in applying IR35 off-payroll working rules dating back to 2017, according to HR Grapevine. The case is a high-profile reminder for HR and procurement leaders of the compliance stakes around contractor classification under IR35.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is pushing legislation to limit non-compete clauses in the innovation sector, according to HR Grapevine, framing the move as a "Bosman ruling"-style reform that would restrict employers' ability to lock in talent — a development HR and people-ops leaders in the UK tech and startup space should watch closely.
UK employers face tightened sexual harassment prevention duties from October 2026, according to HR Grapevine, requiring "all reasonable steps" and extending liability to third-party conduct — a compliance shift that will pressure HR teams to update training programs and workplace policies.
SAP Community has published early guidance to help HR and payroll teams prepare for the UK's mandatory payrolling of benefits-in-kind within SAP's platform, ahead of the April 2027 compliance deadline — noting that HMRC's official framework is still in draft form.
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