Employment
Employment law for hospitality
A run of employment law changes lands in late 2026 and through 2027. Here's what matters for a pub, hotel or restaurant.
Hospitality runs on shift work, seasonal staff and zero- or low-hours contracts more than most sectors, which makes this run of changes land harder here than in a typical office employer.
- 1 October 2026 — Employment tribunal time limits for most claims double from 3 to 6 months.
- 30 October 2026 — A duty on employers to take 'all reasonable steps' to prevent sexual harassment and third-party harassment of staff comes into force.
- 1 January 2027 — Unfair dismissal becomes a day-one right once an employee has 6 months' service, with no compensation cap — replacing the current 2-year qualifying period.
- 2027 (date not yet fixed) — Guaranteed-hours rights and shift-notice rights for zero- and low-hours workers are due to follow, on dates still to be confirmed.
Acas, 'Employment Rights Act 2025', 2026
See the full
dated timeline, or jump to: guaranteed hours, tipping policy, third-party harassment, unfair dismissal for seasonal staff, holiday pay for casual staff.Use the calculator below to check when a member of staff gains unfair-dismissal protection under the new rule.
When does my starter get unfair-dismissal rights?
This is an estimate only, based on the 6-month qualifying period due to start on 1 January 2027. It is not legal advice.
Page last reviewed: . Written by Lee Tobin. Not legal, tax or professional valuation advice.