Hilary du Randt is a Partner in the Employment Team at Womble Bond Dickinson, advising senior HR leaders and Boards on navigating complex workplace change.
“The law hasn’t changed what fairness means – only when and how quickly fairness is tested.”
The employment relationship was once easy to define: full-time, office-based and long-term. That certainty has gone. The Employment Rights Act 2025, hybrid working, technology-led processes, evolving family expectations and international talent flows are reshaping how work is organised and experienced.
Employment law is undoubtedly being tested by these developments, but the foundations have not shifted. HR’s role is not to chase every new development or panic at each legislative headline. Instead, HR is uniquely positioned to lead change by staying grounded in the fundamentals, informed about what is coming next and prepared well in advance.
The legal landscape: shifting – but not shaking
The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents the most significant change to workers’ rights for a generation, while technology and AI are accelerating how people are hired, managed and assessed. But this is evolution, not revolution.
The reduced unfair dismissal qualifying period and removal of the compensatory cap do not alter the fairness test – they simply bring scrutiny forward and raise the stakes. This underlines the importance of clear performance, conduct and redundancy processes; well-structured probationary periods aligned to the new...
Singer and actor Kim Min-jong has warned of a strong response, calling MC Mong's allegations "false information." OKims Law Firm, Kim Min-jong's legal representative, issued an official statement ...