For many UK businesses, recruiting international talent has become a vital part of growth. But sponsoring overseas workers also comes with significant legal responsibilities, and those responsibilities are coming under far greater scrutiny than ever before. The Home Office has always maintained that holding a sponsor licence is a privilege rather than a right. What has changed is the level of enforcement. Employers are seeing more compliance activity, more requests for eviden

Much has been written about the risks of lawyers misusing AI for legal research and drafting. Recent cases involving fabricated authorities and inaccurate legal analysis have rightly attracted attention. However, in my view, the greater and more immediate challenge lies elsewhere: the routine use of AI by clients themselves. Every day, clients are uploading legal advice, correspondence and draft documents into AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude and others. They do so for en

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 has introduced a new statutory right for individuals, including employees to complain directly to data controllers about alleged UK GDPR infringements. For employers and other data controllers, this is a significant practical compliance change, not merely a technical footnote. From 19 June 2026, privacy notices, DSAR templates and internal complaints processes will need to reflect this new change. Employers will have to be able to show that

With temperatures soaring, employers should take immediate steps to assess and manage heat-related risks, the HSE has warned. With temperatures forecast to reach 38°C and a rare red heat warning in place, the regulator stressed that extreme heat can affect worker health, safety and productivity. Employment partner Alan Lewis , commenting to People Management, highlights the legal consequences of failing to address heat risks: “Because heat is a hazard, failure to assess and

Managing Partner, John Hayes' thoughts on the possible direction of travel for employment law under a government led by Andy Burnham have been picked up by the press. John's believes that a Burnham-led government may signal a more “interventionist” approach to workplace regulation, but that this must be balanced against the need to drive economic growth and maintain labour market flexibility. John urges employers to have their voices heard by engaging with the consultation on

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April is always a busy month for employment law with new minimum payment rates and legislative changes. April 2026 is no exception. Some of the initial provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 ( ERA ) will come into force in April, together with the annual increase in minimum rates of pay. Further there will be an increase in immigration fees. We have updated our ERA tracker, as the timetable for implementation has shifted – see below. Below is an overview of the chan

Planned strikes by National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers members on the London Underground in the next six weeks highlight the complexities of introducing a compressed four-day week. Unions are at loggerheads over the proposals with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen supporting the move for fewer working days days, the RMT warns longer shifts could increase fatigue and safety risks. Employment lawyer, Alan Lewis , commenting to Peop