Business & Technology
Employers face HR risks as rights act reforms bite
Changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025 are exposing weaknesses in employers’ HR practices, according to Cintra, which says it is already seeing a rise in cases linked to the reforms.
The main pressure points include probation periods that run beyond six months, informal management practices and policies that have not been updated for years. These issues are creating legal risk earlier in the employment relationship as unfair dismissal protection moves to six months and scrutiny of harassment prevention becomes more exacting.
Sarah Gray, director of HR at Cintra, said employers are now judged less on whether they believed they acted reasonably and more on whether they can show a clear process and documentary evidence. That shift, she added, is changing how tribunals and advisers assess disputes.
“This isn’t necessarily about employers getting it wrong. It’s about behaviours that were tolerated for years no longer being defensible: informal management, overlong probation periods and dusty policies. What catches employers out isn’t what the employee did, it’s how the employer handled it,” Gray said.
The warning comes as employers prepare for a significant change in the point at which unfair dismissal claims can arise. Many businesses still operate probation arrangements that exceed six months, often without a formal review structure or documented performance process, leaving them exposed once the new threshold applies.
In its advisory work, Cintra is also finding policies that have gone untouched for five to 10 years despite substantial legal changes. It is seeing more dismissal disputes driven by procedural failings rather than the conduct or performance of the employee involved.
Process and proof
Another major area of concern is the duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent workplace harassment. In Cintra’s view, static policies and one-off training sessions no longer provide enough protection if an organisation cannot show it has assessed risk, acted to prevent problems and embedded those measures in day-to-day management.
Compensation uplifts of up to 25% may be at stake in harassment cases where employers cannot demonstrate they took all reasonable steps, the company said. That creates a particular challenge for mid-sized businesses without internal HR teams that may rely on legacy processes.
Gray said employers often assume that good intent is enough to protect them, but tribunal scrutiny now focuses on what was done, what records exist and whether managers followed a defensible process.
“We see time and again that businesses believe they’re compliant because they ‘did the right thing’. But tribunals judge actions and evidence; they do not judge intention. Even when there is clear justification to dismiss, failing to follow the correct process can still result in financial penalties,” she said.
Advisory demand
Demand for advice linked directly to the legislation has increased, with more employers seeking compliance audits, probation framework reviews and support before problems escalate. The pattern suggests a shift away from seeking help only after a complaint or dismissal has already become contentious.
That points to a broader change in how some employers are approaching HR risk. Rather than treating employment compliance as an administrative matter, more are beginning to review it in the same way they assess financial or operational exposure.
Gray said the financial impact of disputes can quickly become the main issue once a complaint reaches tribunal stage. The practical question for employers, she argued, is no longer whether they believe they were justified, but how much a weak process may cost them.
“A policy and a training video are not a defence anymore,” Gray said.
She added that employers need to show preventive steps have been considered and applied in practice, not merely written into handbooks or online modules. Without that evidence, the risk increases as soon as a complaint is made.
“Employers must be able to demonstrate that they’ve assessed risk, taken proactive preventive steps, and embedded those measures into day-to-day practice. If they can’t evidence that, tribunal exposure increases immediately,” she said.
Cintra supports more than 1,500 organisations in the UK with payroll, HR software and advisory services. In its view, the employers best placed to manage the change are those with current policies, documented procedures and early intervention when problems emerge.
“The employers who cope best with this shift are the ones who treat HR like any other business risk. Clean processes, up-to-date policies and early intervention reduce exposure. But ignoring the change is no longer an option,” Gray said.
Celebrating both GCSE and A-Level Results Days, the chain will offer the popular dish to students who buy one of its bubble teas.
The free offer is available at all 42 Rosa’s Thai restaurants across England and Wales.
To avail of the free noodles, students need to register on Rosa’s Thai website for a unique code, which they should present at the restaurant together with a copy of their results.
Rosa’s Thai has a new range of bubble tea flavours, including Ube-Taro, Matcha-Coconut, Mango Sticky Rice, and Milo Chocolate Milk, as well as favourites like Home-brewed Thai Tea with Tapioca, and Lychee Mango with mango boba.
Students can sign up for their free Pad Thai at rosasthai.com/result-day-free-pad-thai and find their nearest restaurant at rosasthai.com/locations.
The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.
The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.
A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).
“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.
What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?
“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”
The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.
The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.
Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.
An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.
What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?
Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”
It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.
Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”
The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.
This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.
Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.
“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.
“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.
“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”
The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.
Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.
However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.
All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.
They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.
With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.
The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.
The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.
If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.
The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.
-
Business & Technology3 weeks agoHSBC UK & Visa test AI shopping with live payments
-
Business & Technology3 weeks agoValarian lands USD $50 million backing for sovereign AI
-
Oxford Events4 weeks agoHenley Festival 2026 highlights: Five nights of unforgettable performances and festival moments
-
Oxford united FC3 weeks agoOxford United three players who be kept after transfer ban
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoZYMIX uses Henley event to pitch social app to Gen Z
-
Business & Technology2 weeks agoSlice golf bar swings to new heights after successful launch
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoOde launches free AI voice service for poem recommendations
-
Business & Technology3 weeks agoUK AI firms raise record GBP £4.56bn in Q2 funding