Six Months to Kick Off - tribunal deadline doubles for hospo staff

Pin this one up next to the rota. As of 1 October, hospo workers have six months instead of three to bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal, The Caterer reports. In Scotland the same change kicks in on 9 November for breach of contract claims.

It's part of the government's Employment Rights Act rollout. The official reasoning is that a longer window gives staff and bosses more time to sort things out between themselves or through conciliation before anyone ends up in front of a judge. Employers have been told to update any handbook that still says three months.

October's not finished with us either. On 30 October new trade union rules land, including stronger access rights for unions and more protection for anyone taking industrial action. Harassment rules are getting tougher too. Bosses will have to take "all reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment of their staff, and they won't be allowed to let third parties harass their teams. Beefed-up tipping laws are due by the end of 2026, according to a government policy paper.

So what for hospo people? If work does you dirty, the clock is now a lot kinder. Don't sit on it, but you no longer have to panic about a three-month cliff edge. Managers, this is your cue to get trained up properly. Your handbook isn't going to update itself.