Employment

No, you generally cannot claim unfair dismissal after only 2 years of service in the UK, as the minimum qualifying period is 2 years' continuous employment.

Yes, if you have been employed for at least two years, your employer must give you a written statement of reasons for dismissal when you request it within three months of your employment ending.

Your statutory redundancy notice period depends on your length of continuous service: at least one week for each full year of service, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.

Statutory redundancy pay depends on your age, length of continuous service, and weekly pay — up to a maximum of £19,260 for 2024–25.

Yes, your employer must consult before making 30 or more people redundant at one establishment within a 90-day period — this is a legal requirement under UK law.

The Equality Act 2010 protects you from race discrimination at work. It makes it unlawful for employers to treat you unfairly because of your race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origins.

Yes, it is unlawful for your employer to treat you unfavourably because of pregnancy or maternity under the Equality Act 2010.

You can make a claim for disability harassment under the Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful for your employer to engage in unwanted conduct related to your disability that violates your dignity or creates a hostile environment.

Yes, it is illegal for your employer to pay men more than women for equal work in the UK. The Equality Act 2010 gives you the right to equal pay for equal work.

You are protected from victimisation under section 27 of the Equality Act 2010 if you're treated badly because you've made or supported a discrimination complaint.

You can raise a complaint with HMRC, make a claim to an employment tribunal, or seek help from Acas — all within strict time limits.

Generally, no — your employer cannot make you work more than an average of 48 hours per week unless you've signed a valid opt-out agreement.

Yes, zero-hours workers in the UK are entitled to paid annual leave if they are classified as 'workers' — not just self-employed contractors.

Most UK workers are entitled to a 20-minute uninterrupted rest break if they work more than 6 hours in a day.

Agency workers in the UK are entitled to equal treatment with permanent staff after completing a 12-week qualifying period in the same role with the same hirer.

Yes, your employer must give you a written statement of your main terms and conditions of employment within two months of starting work.

An employer in the UK can suspend you without pay only if your employment contract explicitly allows it or if you have committed serious misconduct justifying summary dismissal — otherwise, suspension must be on full pay.

No, your employer generally cannot lawfully change your contract terms without your agreement unless the contract explicitly allows it or you accept the change.

Yes, most employees in the UK with at least 26 weeks’ continuous service have a legal right to request flexible working under the Employment Rights Act 1996.

After a TUPE transfer, your existing employment terms generally transfer automatically to the new employer and cannot be changed solely because of the transfer. Changes made for an 'economic, technical or organisational' (ETO) reason may be lawful, but otherwise risk being void.

No, it is illegal for your employer to stop you from joining a trade union in the UK. You have a statutory right to join any trade union of your choice.

Your employer must recognise your union for collective bargaining if it meets statutory requirements — including having majority support among workers — and you follow the official recognition procedure under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

Yes, dismissal for taking part in official industrial action is automatically unfair under UK law, provided the strike was lawful and you meet certain conditions.

Yes, you may be protected under UK whistleblower law if you made a 'protected disclosure' about safety concerns to your employer and were dismissed as a result.

No, you cannot be fairly dismissed for refusing to work in unsafe conditions if the danger is serious and imminent, and you reasonably believe there is no reasonable alternative.