From April 2026, Unpaid parental leave changes April 2026 becomes a day one right, meaning small business employers may need to manage parental leave requests much earlier in the employment relationship. Introduced under the Employment Rights Act 2025 , this change removes the current one year qualifying period and allows eligible employees to access unpaid parental leave from their first day of employment. While the reform is not a dramatic overhaul, it does affect how emplo

Statutory Sick Pay is changing from April 2026, and while it is not a compliance nightmare, it will affect how small business employers manage sickness absence from the very first day. Changes introduced under the Employment Rights Act 2025 remove waiting days and expand eligibility for SSP, meaning more employees will qualify and payments will start sooner. For employers, this reinforces the importance of clear sickness absence policies, accurate records and consistent proce

The Employment Rights Act 2025 is now law, and for small business employers it brings a series of important employment law changes starting from April 2026. After months of consultation and speculation, the focus is shifting from what might happen to what businesses actually need to prepare for. While the changes will be phased in over time, early reforms around day one employment rights, Statutory Sick Pay, family leave and enforcement mean now is the right moment for emplo

If your business is still paper-based , you’re putting yourself at HUGE risk . 📑⚠️ Let’s break down why it’s time to make the move to digital HR management and how the right software can make your life a whole lot easier. Bearman HR | Supporting Businesses in Kent 🔎 GDPR Compliance Risks | HR Services Keeping your HR records on paper makes it much harder to comply with GDPR  (General Data Protection Regulation), as well as the Working Time Directive (WTD)  and Right to Work

When workplace issues arise — whether it's misconduct, poor performance, or policy breaches - knowing where to start  with the...

For businesses in Kent , including Chatham, Maidstone and Medway , absence management is one of the most common HR challenges. Get it...

Avoiding Tribunal Risks: Expert HR Consultancy in Kent for Disciplinary and Employee Issues. A real client story about how Bearman HR ...