Labour Legislation
Regulations governing employment rights, workplace safety, industrial relations, and employment standards.
Extended the time limit for ecclesiastical office holders to file Employment Tribunal claims regarding missing written particulars from three months to six months.
These Regulations extend the timeframe for ecclesiastical office holders to refer matters to an Employment Tribunal if they fail to receive required documentation regarding their terms of service. The instrument specifically doubles the period from three months to six months following the termination of an appointment for an office holder to file a reference concerning missing statements of particulars, changes to office, or stipend details.
These changes apply to clergy and other ecclesiastical office holders within the Church of England under the 2009 Regulations.
The Code of Practice (Electronic and Workplace Balloting for Statutory Trade Union Ballots) Order 2026
Activated a new industrial relations Code of Practice for electronic and workplace voting in trade union ballots starting 25 August 2026.
This Order establishes 25 August 2026 as the commencement date for a new Code of Practice governing electronic and workplace balloting for trade unions in England, Wales, and Scotland.
It directs trade unions to follow specific guidance when conducting statutory ballots for industrial action, political resolutions, and union amalgamations.
The Order applies to trade unions, employers, and independent scrutineers involved in statutory voting processes, while exempting ballots that were already underway or formally initiated before the effective date.
The Trade Unions (Permissible Means of Voting) and Employment Rights (Unfair Dismissal) (Amendment) Order 2026
Expanded trade union balloting methods to include electronic, hybrid, and workplace voting while updating unfair dismissal protections.
This Order amends the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and the Employment Rights Act 1996 to permit trade unions to conduct elections and industrial action ballots via electronic, hybrid, and workplace voting in addition to traditional postal methods.
It directs a 'responsible person' within the union to determine which voting methods are available for a given ballot based on specific security and accessibility criteria.
The Order applies to trade unions, employers, and independent scrutineers, mandating strict technical standards such as Cyber Essentials Plus certification, data encryption, and the maintenance of comprehensive audit logs.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) (Amendment etc.) and the EU Machinery Regulation (Enforcement etc. in Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026
- Department: Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- Made under: European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025
- Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Recognised products compliant with the EU Machinery Regulation for the Great Britain market and established market surveillance, conformity assessment, and enforcement regimes for the EU regulation in Northern Ireland.
This statutory instrument establishes enforcement and conformity assessment mechanisms in Northern Ireland for Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery, while amending Great Britain's machinery safety framework to recognise products complying with the EU regulation from 20 January 2027.
It restricts the territorial scope of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 to Great Britain, substitutes provisions governing CE and UK marking recognition to align with the new EU regulation, and ensures qualifying Northern Ireland goods maintain access to Great Britain.
In Northern Ireland, the instrument revokes the 2008 regulations, mandates the use of the UK(NI) indication when UK notified bodies perform conformity assessments, designates the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and local district councils as market surveillance authorities, establishes criminal offences and penalties for economic operator non-compliance, and creates procedures for sharing compliance information with the European Commission.
The Industrial Training Levy (Engineering Construction Industry Training Board) Order 2026
- Department: Department for Work and Pensions
- Made under: Industrial Training Act 1982, Scotland Act 1998
Authorized the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board to impose a training levy on industry employers for the years 2026, 2027, and 2028.
Establishes a statutory levy on employers within the engineering construction industry for three distinct periods covering 2026 through 2028.
It directs the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board to assess and collect payments based on employer emoluments and labor-only contract costs, while providing specific exemptions for small-scale employers and charitable organizations.
The Order applies to all employers engaged wholly or mainly in engineering construction activities in England, Wales, and Scotland.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (Establishment of Schools) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026
- Department: Department for Education
- Made under: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026
Updated various education laws and regulations to reflect new procedures for establishing schools and managing pupil referral units.
These regulations update several primary and secondary education acts to align with the school establishment framework introduced by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.
They modify the procedures for proposing new schools, clarify employment transfer rules for staff in pupil referral units, and adjust how governance arrangements are made before a new school is formally approved.
The measures apply to local authorities, school governing bodies, and the Department for Education in England and Wales.
The Bus Services Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Bus Services Act 2025
Activated statutory requirements for bus staff training and local transport byelaws starting 5 August 2026.
These Regulations bring into force several sections of the Bus Services Act 2025 on 5 August 2026, primarily affecting local transport authorities, bus operators, and their employees.
The provisions grant new powers to vehicle inspectors, authorize the creation of local and London-based bus byelaws, and introduce mandatory staff training regarding disability, crime, and anti-social behaviour.
The instrument also establishes practical deadlines for staff to complete this training, with specific transitional windows extending to late 2028 and 2029 depending on when an individual was employed.
Corrected a typographical error in the Explanatory Note of a previous Employment Rights Act commencement order.
This instrument amends the Explanatory Note of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026 to correct a grammatical error.
It substitutes the word 'brings' for 'bring' in the fourth paragraph of the note.
The document applies to the King's Printer and those responsible for the publication and maintenance of UK statutory instruments.