Employment Snapshot August 2026
Wednesday 26th August 2026
Welcome to Gordons Employment Team’s latest update
This month we cover:
- Acas launches consultation on changes to its disciplinary and grievance Code of Practice;
- New harassment obligations in force from 30 October; and,
- Key lessons for employers from the recent Supreme Court decision on how policies could disadvantage part-time staff
Acas consults on changes to its disciplinary and grievance Code of Practice
Acas has launched a consultation on a new draft Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.
For employers, the proposed changes are significant. They place greater responsibility on managers to identify and resolve workplace issues at an early stage, while increasing scrutiny of how organisations handle conflict before commencing formal processes.
Are you ready for the new harassment obligations from 30 October?
From 30 October 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 will strengthen workplace harassment obligations in two key respects. The existing duty to prevent sexual harassment will move from a “reasonable steps” test to a higher “all reasonable steps” standard.
When “one-size-fits-all” policies disadvantage part-time staff: Key lessons for employers from the recent Supreme Court decision in Augustine
The Supreme Court’s decision in Augustine v Data Cars Ltd, confirms that, for a part-time worker discrimination claim to succeed, part-time status only needs to be an effective cause of the less favourable treatment rather than the sole reasonfor it.
The decision lowers the threshold for claims of this nature and is a timely reminder for employers to review policies and practices that may unintentionally disadvantage part-time staff.
If you require any further information on the above topics, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of the Employment Team.
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