This July 2025 edition takes a look at the Government's roadmap for the implementation of the Employment Rights Bill together with the further amendments to the Bill, the first changes under the Immigration White Paper coming into force in July 2025 and the latest developments on confidentiality clauses or NDAs. We consider the latest legislation introducing pay transparency obligations in recruitment and other key employment law topics in Poland as well as remote working in Ireland. We also include our usual round-up of news, our UK and EU horizon scanners and information on forthcoming events.
As summer kicks off, EU Member States seem still be working to
transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive into their national
laws with transposition deadline of June 2026. Also, UK companies
with operations in the EU or those seeking to harmonise their
group-wide approach may also find themselves impacted. While some
countries have already commenced the process, others remain in the
drafting phase. Undoubtedly, this will continue to dominate
discussions in the coming months, creating significant challenges
for employers across all sectors in Europe.
At the heart of pay transparency lies a pivotal question: are you
prepared to sit down with your team and openly discuss the criteria
underpinning their wages? The Directive's requirements will
reshape existing remuneration structures and impose obligations on
employers to establish structured pay systems and criteria. Poland
has already taken initial steps to implement the Directive through
amendments to its Labour Code introducing pay transparency rules
into the recruitment process. Employers in Poland will need to
adapt their hiring practices by revising job advertisements,
cataloguing remuneration components, and establishing objective and
transparent pay criteria.
For all employers impacted by the Directive, the time to prepare
for its requirements, including pay gap reporting as well as
redefinition of wages, is now.
Editorial – by Monika Krzyszkowska-Dabrowska
The Road Ahead for the UK Employment Rights Bill: Latest developments and next steps
This month has seen the publication of the UK Government's roadmap for the phased consultation and implementation of the measures contained in the Employment Rights Bill as well as significant amendments to the Bill. Find out what it means here.
Ban on confidentiality clauses and NDAs covering harassment and discrimination at work and other developments
The Government is proposing to ban employers from using confidentiality clauses seeking to prevent workers speaking about allegations of work-related harassment or discrimination. Separately, new guidance has been published on the enforceability of confidentiality clauses against victims of crime. Find out more here.
Home Office announce White Paper proposals to be in force in the UK by 22 July 2025
Following publication of the Immigration White Paper "Restoring control over the Immigration System" in May 2025, the Home Office has now confirmed several changes which will come into force on 22 July 2025. Read about the latest developments here.
International Update: Poland implements initial steps to transpose EU Pay Transparency Directive into Labour Code
Employers in Poland need to prepare for significant changes to recruitment practices following publication of new legislation introducing statutory pay transparency obligations. Find out what more about the new rules here.
Poland Employment Law: Top 10 Key Topics – June 2025
Monika Krzyszkowska-Dabrowska, partner and head of employment in our new Warsaw office, takes a look at key employment law topics in Poland which organisations can prepare for now. Find out what employers need to know here.
Upcoming Events:
We will be running our Autumn HR Breakfast seminar in our offices in Manchester on 9 October 2025, London on 14 October 2025 and Leeds on 16 October 2025. The event for HR professionals offers the opportunity to take stock of recent and future employment law developments and providing expert insight, and practical guidance, on the issues that you have to grapple with on a day-to-day basis. Look out for further details coming soon.
Our Dublin team, in partnership with Legal Island, are running a full day's webinar on Managing Sickness Absence in Ireland on 1 October 2025. For price information and further details, visit the registration page here.
For our Employment and Immigration Training Calendar 2025 listing all our client training events, please visit our website page here.
What else you should know
- Find out about the latest developments on remote working in Ireland.
Parental leave and pay review – call for evidence
The Government has just launched its parental leave and pay review which will run for 18 months. As part of that review, the Government has opened a call for evidence to improve its understanding of the extent to which the current entitlements support the objectives of maternal health, economic growth through labour market participation, resourcing and facilitating the best start in life for babies and young children and supporting modern work and childcare needs.
The call for evidence closes on 25 August 2025.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
