Face-to-Face HR Forum ~ Employment Law Update ~ Rubicon & Ellis Jones

Fair Dismissal

Rubicon Recruitment and Ellis Jones Solicitors are delighted to invite you to our complimentary Virtual HR Forum, a monthly webinar for HR professionals and business leaders to explore key HR and employment law topics with like-minded professionals.

November’s HR Forum will focus on Fair Dismissal, giving employers a practical overview of the five potentially fair reasons for dismissal and the steps needed to stay compliant as the unfair dismissal qualifying period reduces from two years to six months on 1st January 2027. With less time to get things right before an employee gains protection, HR professionals need to act now to review recruitment, probation, and dismissal processes.

Our HR Forums are designed to support organisations in navigating the UK employment law landscape, providing expert insight, practical guidance, and the opportunity to share best practice with peers.

Hosted by Jo West (Rubicon Recruitment) and Kate Brooks (Partner & Head of HR and Employment Law Partner, Ellis Jones), this session will support HR professionals in staying compliant, confident, and prepared as flexible working shifts from a benefit into an expected default.

Topics We’ll Explore In This HR Forum:

• An overview of the five fair reasons for dismissal: capability, conduct, redundancy, illegality, and some other substantial reason (SOSR)
• What the reduction in qualifying service from two years to six months means in practice, and who it affects
• Last-minute steps employers should take before 1st January 2027 to review recruitment, probation, and performance management processes
• Common pitfalls that can turn a potentially fair dismissal into an unfair one
• Best practice for documentation, consistency, and following a fair process from day one

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday,  18th November
• Time: 11:00 – 12:00
• Location: Virtual / Online through Zoom

This Virtual HR Forum is ideal for HR professionals, people managers, and business leaders looking to understand their obligations under the evolving flexible working framework and build a confident, legally sound approach to handling requests.

About the Hosts:

Kate Brooks is a Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 and a Partner at Ellis Jones Solicitors. She specialises in Employment Law and HR advice, supporting businesses with Employment Tribunal claims, employment documentation, data protection, HR consultancy, training, and settlement agreements.

Jo West is part of the leadership team at Rubicon Recruitment, working closely with HR professionals and employers across a wide range of sectors to support effective people and workforce strategies.

Book Your Spot Now: To register your interest in attending this Fair Dismissal HR Webinar, please complete the short form below or email events@rubiconpeople.co.uk.

More information to follow