Welcome to the December 2025 edition of Employment Matters, bringing you the latest updates on employment law and key issues for employers and HR professionals.
As 2025 draws to an end, employment law remains as turbulent as ever. At the top of the agenda is the Employment Rights Bill. We discuss the latest twist in this ongoing saga: the Government's compromise to accept a 6-month qualifying period in exchange for lifting the cap on compensation. At the time of writing, it is unclear whether the compensation cap will be removed entirely and, if so, when. But we will keep you updated, shortly unveiling our new-look Employment Rights Bill Hub where you can track the latest news. At this stage, we invite you to register your interest to receive all the latest updates via email.
Yet there's more! The Government is again considering reforming "non-compete" clauses; bonus litigation is seemingly on the rise after bankers' bonus caps were scrapped by the FCA and PRA in 2023; and recent trends in domestic and international competition law suggest that non-poach agreements, wage-fixing and information sharing are among the top priorities of regulators. We have articles explaining all three developments.
Our complementary teams are finishing the year strongly, too. Our Incentives Team not only welcomed Liron Cohen as its new head; it also won Rewards and Incentives Team of the Year at the International Employment Lawyer Awards 2025. We look forward to the team continuing to build on the successes of an already exceptionally successful practice area.
Our Immigration Team remains busy. Following the recent shake-up of UK Immigration Rules, they have produced a guide setting out what has (or will be) changed and when. In conjunction with our Incentives Team, they also explore the immigration, tax, and reward essentials that go into building a world-class workforce.
MDR One recently published their Global Employment Handbooks, which provide in-house counsel and HR teams with a practical resource for navigating employment law and HR issues across Europe, APAC and the UAE. Our international employment capabilities are expanding, with Natalie Jones joining us in UAE, and Winnie Weng's ever-developing employment practice in Hong Kong which covers drafting work and advisory services pertaining employment contract, restrictive covenant and employee handbook and policies.
Beyond our written updates, our Corporate Team has produced a short video explaining the key requirements relating to compulsory ID verification for directors and persons with significant control, in effect since 18 November 2025. We are also delighted to share Employment Partner Emily Knight's podcast, Financial Futures: Empowering women to take charge of their wealth, offering practical advice, real-life stories and strategies to help break down barriers to financial confidence.
Finally, it just remains for me to thank you for your support throughout 2025. I wish you all a relaxing festive period and look forward to working with you in 2026.