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As internship season approaches, more students and graduates are seeking opportunities to gain experience in the workplace. Internships offer a crucial chance to develop practical skills and are often a vital step into a profession. Internships can also be useful for employers, giving them an opportunity to access a pipeline of talent without a long-term commitment. Unpaid and underpaid internships have become increasingly common. According to a report by the Sutton Trust, 35% of graduates completed an unpaid internship in 2025, up from 27% in 2018. While the legal framework has not fundamentally changed, the Government’s recent response and the …

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 ran from 11 to 17 May 2026, giving employers and organisations an important opportunity to reflect on how they support employee wellbeing and create healthier, more inclusive workplaces. This year’s theme, “Action” was a timely reminder that while awareness matters, meaningful change only happens when organisations take practical steps to support mental health at work. For employers, this is not simply a wellbeing issue. It is a workplace issue, a culture issue and in many cases, a legal issue too. Why mental health matters at work Poor mental health continues to have a significant impact …

For the first time, umbrella companies in the UK are being brought within a more formal regulatory framework. The Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025), together with related consultations and implementing measures, introduces a new level of regulation and oversight that may make these businesses a less attractive link in the temporary labour supply chain. Umbrella companies play an increasingly important role in the STEM industry, where businesses often rely on flexible, highly skilled contractors to deliver specialist and project-based work. What are Umbrella Companies? An umbrella company is typically used where a recruitment agency or a temporary staffing agency …

The recent employment dispute involving Channel 5, ITN and former presenter Claudia-Liza Vanderpuije – alongside allegations initially made against Dan Walker – provides a useful case study in how employment law operates in practice, particularly in relation to harassment claims, settlement agreements, and vicarious liability. Vanderpuije brought claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination, harassment on grounds of race and sex, and breach of contract following her departure from Channel 5 News. She also alleged that she had been subject to a “toxic” workplace culture and that her dismissal was linked to whistleblowing about these issues. However, shortly before a five-week employment …

When a well-known brand announces closures, the public conversation is usually predictable. Attention turns to the sites shutting, the jobs lost and the broader health of the sector. All understandable. Employment lawyers focus tends to turn to process! This week, Franco Manca confirmed the closure of 16 restaurants across the UK, including Glasgow, with around 225 jobs affected as part of a restructuring. For those impacted, the story is immediate and personal. For other employers, particularly SME leaders dealing with rising costs and sharper margins, it should prompt a different question: If we had to do this, would we do …

The latest KPI report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) offers more than just performance metrics – it outlines how the regulator is evolving to meet modern challenges, from mental health to industrial transformation. A shift toward smarter regulation One of the biggest takeaways is the HSE’s focus on efficiency and smarter decision-making. Performance is no longer just about enforcement activity- it’s about impact.  By improving how quickly decisions are made and how resources are allocated, the HSE aims to ensure that attention is directed where it matters most: high-risk sectors and emerging threats. Mental health takes centre stage …

After a protracted period of parliamentary “ping-pong”, the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. It forms part of the Government’s wider Plan to Make Work Pay agenda and is being implemented in phases, with a significant first wave having taken effect in April 2026. In this blog, we highlight the main changes now in force and the practical steps you should consider taking in response. What has changed? 1) Collective redundancy: protective awards double If you are planning (or already running) a restructure involving collective consultation, the stakes are now higher. Since 6 …

BTO Solicitors LLP has joined the Pathways Pledge as part of its seventh cohort, supporting a growing network of organisations working to widen access to entrepreneurship across Scotland. Over the next 12 months, this new group will support Pathways Forward’s mission to deliver systemic change for entrepreneurs in Scotland by boosting access to opportunity, networks and investment for female-led and female-founded businesses. BTO joins a wide range of organisations from across the ecosystem aligned through the Pledge. Its involvement complements the work BTO’s team is already doing to drive inclusion and diversity and by focusing on collaboration and measurable actions, …