In the Spotlight
In the Spotlight
Regularly showcasing one of the Squire Patton Boggs latest employment law resources that support global employment counsel and senior HR leaders. Please also check out our knowledge hub for details of our latest blogs, insights and events.
March 2026
UK
New Statutory Entitlement to Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave (UK)
In our recent alert, we recommended that employers review and update their family-friendly policies to reflect the changes that are coming into force in April under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
We also wanted to bring to your attention some other legislative changes that might require employers to make additional minor tweaks to any paternity leave policy.
Mandatory Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Reporting for Large Employers Gets the Green Light
Following a consultation that closed in June 2025, (for our thoughts on the proposals at the time, please see here) the government has confirmed that it is going ahead with mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers (those with over 250 employees) to increase transparency and help tackle barriers in the workplace.
UK Employment Law – What’s Coming Into Force in April?
April is a busy month on the legislative front, as a number of the changes contained in the Employment Rights Act 2025 will come into force, as well as the usual annual uplifts, etc.
Europe
Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 of 20 March, Approving the Comprehensive Response Plan to the Crisis in the Middle East
The Spanish government has approved Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 of 20 March, establishing a comprehensive response plan to address the crisis in the Middle East.
US
Employment Issues Commonly Missed in M&A Transactions – Hidden Workforce Risks That Can Erode Deal Value
In most mergers and acquisitions (M&A), employment issues are rarely the headline drivers of valuation. Buyers tend to focus on revenue growth, intellectual property, market share and operational synergies. Yet in many transactions, workforce-related liabilities become some of the most significant sources of post‑closing exposure.
Webinars / Recordings / Podcasts
Sponsored workers – how to avoid common compliance mistakes
With a clampdown on immigration compliance and an increase in sponsorship audits from the Home Office, it’s important for UK employers to ensure they are meeting their sponsor duties.
Magali Ferreyra Alvarez and Carine Elliott from our Business Immigration team focus this episode of Workforce WorldView on compliance mistakes, consequences of breach and how to avoid them.
February 2026
UK
New Statutory Entitlement to Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave (UK)
In our recent alert, we recommended that employers review and update their family-friendly policies to reflect the changes that are coming into force in April under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
We also wanted to bring to your attention some other legislative changes that might require employers to make additional minor tweaks to any paternity leave policy.
The Employment Rights Act 2025: UK Government Issues New Wave of Consultations
The UK government has recently issued five new consultations in connection with the following aspects of the Employment Rights Act (ERA) 2025:
In this latest Insight, we highlight the key points to be aware of – the consultations on fire and rehire and flexible working are likely to be of most interest to employers.
US
The New Wage Rule and the $100K Proclamation Will Shape the 2026 H‑1B Cap Season
USCIS has announced that the FY 2027 H‑1B cap registration window will run from March 4 to March 19, 2026. During this period, employers seeking to sponsor H‑1B workers for this year’s lottery (covering employment beginning October 1, 2026) must use a USCIS online account to electronically register each beneficiary for the selection process and submit the required $215 H‑1B registration fee for each entry.
Webinars / Recordings / Podcasts
Workplace investigations – what should you do if an employee makes a complaint but asks you not to investigate?
This is the second episode in our Workforce WorldView miniseries on workplace investigations, helping employers understand the ins and outs of investigating complaints in the workplace.
We join Chris Kelly and Grace Lancaster as they discuss what UK employers should do when dealing with a “reluctant complainant” – an employee with a legitimate serious complaint who does not want their employer to investigate their issue for a variety of reasons.
H-1B visa lottery changes – what should US employers expect in 2026 and beyond?
In our latest episode of Workforce WorldView, Gregory Wald and Samuel Mudrick, partners in our Business Immigration team, discuss the US H-1B specialty occupation visa, a high-skilled visa often used by US employers looking to fill roles that routinely go unfilled due to domestic skills shortages.
January 2026
Global
Global Snapshot Hot Employment Law Topics for 2026
We know that for many of our clients and contacts with a multi-jurisdictional mandate, horizon-scanning and trend spotting is critical to allow for forward planning and to avoid surprises. With this in mind, at the start of this year, we asked the partners across our global Labour & Employment practice to identify the key employment law topics for 2026 in their respective jurisdictions.
UK
The Employment Rights Act 2025: April 2026 Changes – What Needs To Be on Your Agenda Now?
It has been a while coming, but the Employment Rights Bill finally received Royal Assent on 18 December and for better or worse is now a fully-fledged Act of Parliament, the Employment Rights Act 2025.
It is fair to say that getting this Act over the line was not straightforward for the government, with much ink (and government credibility) already spilled over the extensive ping-ponging between the House of Lords and the House of Commons to try and reach a deal.
After Months of Anticipation The FCA Releases Its Guidance on Non-Financial Misconduct
On 12 December, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) finally issued its official response to the public consultation on non-financial misconduct (NFM). This was issued through a Policy Statement PS25/23, finalising new binding regulatory rules and accompanying official guidance on NFM.
US
Corporate Insights: Mitigating Border Entry Risks for Technical Staff Under New US State Department Guidance
Companies that operate internationally and regularly send foreign-based employees to the US should be aware that the environment for business travel into the US is changing.
The US Department of State (State Department) released a fact sheet on October 4, 2025 explaining what it considers permissible under the business visitor category for B-1 visas.
Webinars / Recordings / Podcasts
Implementation of the EU Pay Transparency Directive and Key Employment Law Changes for 2026 in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia
The EU Pay Transparency Directive is nearing its implementation deadline, and employers across the EU are either already prepared or in the process of getting ready. Although some Member States, including the Czech Republic, have not yet finalised the legislative process, larger companies will need to start collecting data from early 2026. Now is the perfect time to understand what the Directive requires and how to prepare for full compliance.
New UK immigration rules proposed for 2026 – what you need to know about the Earned Settlement Scheme
As part of the UK immigration white paper proposals announced in May 2025, the UK government is consulting on reforming the current settlement system in line with its Earned Settlement Scheme. This includes increasing the qualifying period to qualify to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) from five to 10 years (or up to 30 years in some cases) for individuals in most immigration categories.
Workplace investigations – what are they and why do they matter?
This is the first episode in our Workforce WorldView miniseries on workplace investigations, helping employers understand the ins and outs of investigating complaints in the workplace.
We join Chris Kelly and Sarah Lawrence as they discuss what workplace investigations are, when they’re needed and why it’s important to implement a formal process.