She Reported a Safety Risk. Then Drove 800 Miles to a Meeting Her Boss Skipped. She Won £149,000.

June 5, 2026June 5, 2026 by Tom Street

A gym reception desk with a laptop, payslip and notebook, suggesting a worker raising a concern

Opinion & Commentary 5 June 2026 • By Tom Street, Solicitor Disclaimer: This article contains Tom Street’s personal opinion and commentary on a reported employment tribunal decision. It is not legal advice for your specific circumstances. For advice on your individual situation, please contact us directly. Tom Street is a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 566718). Key Facts Beth Littlewood, a former canoe polo champion and …

“Dragon Porn” at Work? No. A Fantasy Audiobook and a Boss Who Read 30 Pages of Private Messages.

March 8, 2026March 6, 2026 by Tom Street

Woman from behind at office desk wearing headphones with fantasy dragon imagination scene above her

Opinion & Commentary 6 March 2026 • By Tom Street, Solicitor Disclaimer: This article contains Tom Street’s personal opinion and commentary on employment policy. It is not legal advice for your specific circumstances. For advice on your individual situation, please contact us directly. Tom Street is a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 566718). Key Facts Finance administrator Kirsty Coleman was suspended for gross misconduct after her …

Reform UK Wants to Scrap the Employment Rights Act 2025. Let’s Be Clear About What That Actually Means.

March 8, 2026March 5, 2026 by Tom Street

Palace of Westminster at dusk reflected in the River Thames — Reform UK employment rights opinion piece

Opinion & Commentary 5 March 2026 • By Tom Street, Solicitor Disclaimer: This article contains Tom Street’s personal opinion and commentary on employment policy. It is not legal advice for your specific circumstances. For advice on your individual situation, please contact us directly. Tom Street is a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 566718). Key Facts Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice pledged a “Great Repeal Bill” …

Dismissed With Less Than Two Years’ Service: What Are Your Rights?

February 25, 2026February 14, 2026 by Tom Street

Calendar showing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims

🔄 Updated for 2025/26 • Last reviewed: 25 February 2026 Written and reviewed by: Tom Street, Solicitor Principal, Tom Street & Co. Solicitors (SRA No. 566718) Last updated: 25 February 2026 ⏱️ 10 minute read Quick Summary If you’ve been dismissed with less than two years’ service, you generally can’t claim ordinary unfair dismissal. But that doesn’t mean you have zero rights. Claims for discrimination, whistleblowing, automatically unfair dismissal and …

Statutory Pay Rates in 2019

May 9, 2019May 6, 2019 by

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) are key regulations and it’s important to know how each of them work and how they impact employees. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) SSP applies to all employers, regardless of their size and represents the minimum payments which should be paid by law. It is possible to opt out of the scheme but only …

Why are UK Employees more likely to Whistleblow?

May 9, 2019May 2, 2019 by

In a survey carried out by the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) employees were asked a series of questions which revealed that whilst UK employees were found to be more lenient in their approach to questionable workplace behaviour or attitudes compared to the European average; however, they were more likely to blow the whistle if they are aware of any form of misconduct or questionable behaviour occurring in the workplace. …

What Constitutes Gross Misconduct in The Workplace – Infographic

May 22, 2019April 3, 2019 by

There are certain actions or behaviors that are totally unacceptable in a workplace which will result in an immediate sack without any prior notice or warning. These actions or behaviors are referred to as GROSS MISCONDUCT. There are rules and regulations established in all forms of workplace which not only protect the integrity of the workplace, it also ensures mutual respect, peaceful co-habitation and protection of both employees and employers. …

Claiming Unfair Dismissal if Dismissed for Gross Misconduct just Shy of the Qualifying Period

April 22, 2019October 25, 2018 by

In most cases, employees can file a claim for unfair dismissal against their employer only after completing minimum two years of service. Previously the claiming period was one year, however it was extended to two years in 2012. This gives the employers some flexibility when it comes to managing and dismissing staff with less than two years of service. Therefore, it is important for employees to be mindful of the …

Shared Parental Leave – Eligibility For Birth Parents & For Adopters

September 20, 2018 by

Shared Parental Leave allows eligible parents, adopters, and partners to share time off work after their child is born or placed for adoption. This leave structure also allows them to return to work for part of the time and then resume their leave at a later date. Furthermore, the employment law in the United Kingdom also entitles eligible mothers and adopters to continue having Maternity and Adoption rights, while they …

Do You Have To Pay Maternity Pay Back If You Don’t Go Back To Work?

September 20, 2018September 15, 2018 by

Going back to work after maternity leave is a difficult question to answer for most employees, especially if you’re sitting on the fence. Whether it’s something you’ve always planned for or a last minute gut decision, working mothers often ask if there are potential penalties or ramifications of not going back to work at the end of the maternity leave. Here, it is important to consider that unless there is …