On 30 July 2026, Acas published a consultation on a revised draft Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.
The current Code is primarily concerned with ensuring fairness once a disciplinary or grievance process has begun. The new draft Code shifts the focus significantly towards:
Preventing escalation
Resolving issues informally where possible
Encouraging early intervention
Providing better training and support
Improving workplace relationships and
Reducing the costs associated with formal disputes
ACAS has justified the changes by reference to research showing that formal conflict resolution costs employers approximately 2.36 billion annually and that 44% of working-age adults experienced workplace conflict during the previous year.
The practical effect is that tribunals may increasingly scrutinise not only how employers conducted formal procedures, but what they did before the formal process commenced.
Jang, in his 40s, who also runs a beauty salon and works as an insurance planner, registered himself as a caregiver for insured A, an insurance customer, in April. Afterwards, Jang filed a documen...