Spencer Shaw Solicitors

04/06/2026

The government has released it's consultation on employees new rights around zero-hours contracts. These include the right to guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts, and payment for shifts cancelled or moved at short notice.

The consultation is open until 25th August 2026. Read the consultation and respond here:

We are seeking views on reforms relating to zero hours and similar contracts, to implement measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025 to end one-sided flexibility.

02/06/2026

This month's newsletter was all about AI in employment law. Not just another newsletter about AI - an in depth look into less discussed issues like using AI to recruit and monitor staff, disciplining staff for misuse of AI and whether AI can help with your legal claim.

If this sounds useful, you can sign up for our monthly updates here, as well as reading past editions:

Our monthly updates for employers contain news of the latest changes in employment law and tips on how to reduce the risk of successful claims against you.

26/05/2026

AI might seem like a great resource to solve all sorts of problems - including legal claims. But in practice, using AI in a legal case comes with many risks - especially with the courts clamping down on poor use.

Recent cases have highlighted major risks in using AI for legal advice or templates.

22/05/2026

We understand that an employment dispute can be a difficult time. We want clients to feel comfortable, and reassured by our services. So it's a massive compliment that clients feel that way about the whole atmosphere of our business.

Read more reviews on ReviewSolicitors: https://www.reviewsolicitors.co.uk/west-midlands/birmingham/spencer-shaw-solicitors-limited

20/05/2026

The president of the Employment Tribunals has suggested that AI is contributing to delays by drafting lengthy and complex claims, including irrelevant resolutions and inflating schedules of loss. So can avoiding AI help speed up your case?

Here's how to reduce the impact of delays on your matter:

Backlogs at the employment tribunal are causing delays. How will this affect your case, and what can you do about it?

18/05/2026

Discrimination claims have been upheld again NHS England after it followed advice from Stonewall, Unison and other trade unions to allow trans staff to use opposite-s*x facilities.

The judgment was clear: "Reliance on contemporaneous guidance or good practice advice cannot justify an incorrect interpretation of the law. Employers must seek their own legal advice and ensure that they are applying the law correctly.”

An employee at NHS England has won her claims of indirect discrimination and harassment over transgender policy regarding use of toilets.

14/05/2026

Last week, Ian spoke to People Management magazine about a recent tribunal case. The tribunal found that the employers policy of paying overseas workers a higher rate was discriminatory, despite Home Office requirements.

Care worker awarded £14k after being paid less than colleagues on skilled worker sponsorship visas

13/05/2026

Like the Employment Tribunal, the Financial Conduct Authority is facing a backlog in dealing with whistleblowing reports, after a 30% increase in reports:

https://www.cityam.com/fca-struggles-with-rising-whistleblower-caseload/

Delays could harm your business, as misconduct continues unaddressed. It also puts whistle-blowers in a difficult position if they are still in their role awaiting action.

If you don't already have a whistleblowing policy, now is a good time to implement one. It can help resolve issues internally, avoiding delays from external bodies. Ensuring managers know how to respond to disclosures can also reduce the risk of facing a claim for penalising a whistle-blower.

Find out more about how a whistleblowing policy can benefit your business:

https://www.spencershaw.co.uk/news/why-your-company-needs-a-whistleblowing-policy/

Whistleblowing has risen by nearly 30 per cent, according to new data from the UK’s financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority.

11/05/2026

Nearly half of women experiencing menopause say their work is affected by brain fog, and more than a third say hot flushes affect their performance. Yet only 18% of women have a menopause policy in their workplace..

https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/news/one-in-five-women-report-having-a-workplace-menopause-policy

Businesses without a considered approach to menopause risk discrimination claims based on age, s*x or disability. Find out more about how a policy can help, and how we can help:

https://www.spencershaw.co.uk/news/why-your-company-needs-a-menopause-policy/

Implementing a Menopause policy to address how your organisation supports it’s employees can be beneficial to your staff and your business.

08/05/2026

47% of job seekers have been interviewed by AI, while 30% walked away from a hiring process because it contained AI.

Most were not against the use of AI. The main concerns were about transparency. Yet 82% of candidates never clearly told they would be evaluated by AI.

https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/2026-05-05-half-of-uk-jobseekers-have-faced-an-ai-interview

If used properly, AI can support HR. But used badly, it could create several problems and possibly lead to legal claims. Here is our advice on how to use AI responsibly in HR:

https://www.spencershaw.co.uk/news/ai-and-hr-a-risky-combination/

Few jobseekers believe employers are using AI responsibly. But most don’t want less AI - they simply want it to be better...