Employment law 5 in 5: October 2026

At a glance

• UK changes move to next phase
• EU developments
• Prepare for changes in China and Singapore
• Developments in the Americas
• Upcoming employment events

UK changes move to next phase

October brings another significant stage of UK employment reform. Changes under the Employment Rights Act include longer time limits for employment tribunal claims, with the general limit increasing from three to six months from 1 October 2026, alongside further reforms relating to trade unions and harassment. Employers also have more change on the horizon: the government is progressing its plans on dismissal and re-engagement and enhanced protection for pregnant women and new mothers, while a major consultation is considering employment status reform and protections for the self-employed, with responses due by 8 January 2027. A separate government review is examining potential whistleblowing reform, including mandatory workplace policies and possible financial rewards.

EU developments

Italy has adopted a legislative decree to align its framework with the EU AI Act: employers may not rely solely on AI systems for key decisions such as hiring, dismissals, disciplinary action and performance evaluations and workers must receive clear information about AI systems used. Implementation of the Gender Pay Transparency Directive continues, with the latest Dutch bill making hirers, rather than staffing agencies or other lenders, responsible for reporting on the pay of agency workers. Family protections are expanding too: from 1 October 2026, Finnish employers must automatically give written reasons when a protected employee’s fixed-term employment ends or is not renewed, while Spain has introduced new rights for employees with care responsibilities and new protected sick leave categories for certain menopause-related conditions.

Prepare for changes in China and Singapore

Employers in China that engage workers beyond retirement age should review their arrangements following the Interim Provisions on the Protection of the Basic Rights and Interests of Over-Age Workers, which took effect on 1 July 2026. Although over-age workers are not employees under PRC labour law, they now have core statutory protections that cannot be contracted out of. Overtime limits and overtime pay rates under the PRC Labour Law now apply, and employers must enrol over-age workers in work-related injury insurance and pay the premiums. Employers should review rosters, pay and agreements, and put a formal retirement transition process in place.

Elsewhere in Asia-Pacific, Singapore will require organisations with more than 200 workers to employ at least one IHRP-certified HR professional from 1 July 2028.

Developments in the Americas

In the US, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed several employment bills that regulate the use of AI in disciplinary and termination decisions, require Cal-WARN notices to disclose whether positions are being replaced or automated by AI, expand bereavement leave, alter pay data reporting requirements and relax restrictions on 'stay or pay' agreements. Illinois will extend Human Rights Act protections to menopause-related conditions and require employers with more than 25 employees to provide paid jury duty leave, both from 1 January 2027.

In Latin America, Brazil has approved a constitutional amendment gradually reducing the maximum working week from 44 to 40 hours without reducing salaries, replacing the traditional 6x1 pattern with five working days and two paid rest days. Peru’s minimum living wage rose from PEN 1,130 to PEN 1,230 from 1 October 2026, increasing several employment-related payments and benefits.

Upcoming employment events

Join us for our Canadian fall webinar on managing workplace risk on 17 November 2026 and for our Nordic Employment Law Update webinar covering key regional developments on 19 November. Attend our bi-annual APAC in-person seminars,  focussing on workplace investigations, in Singapore on 17 November, in Hong Kong on 19 November or in Shanghai on 24 November.  Finally, mark your calendars for our next Global Employment Quarterly webinar on 9 December 2026 and watch for an invite.