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The main question in this case was whether an unpaid, voluntary charity trustee can be considered a "worker" for the purposes of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) and be protected against detriments after making protected disclosures under section 47B of the ERA.

Recent data, including from the Ministry of Justice, reveals the backlog of employment tribunal cases in England and Wales has reached its highest recorded level, rising by nearly 50% in a single year.

On 6 April, just a few days away, the first substantive provisions of the ERA will be brought into force. This includes SSP being payable from the first day of illness, the doubling of the collective redundancy protective award, and sexual harassment complaints becoming a whistleblow.

Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue we discuss: John Wood Group PLC — FCA Final Notice The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has imposed a financial penalty of £12,993,700 on John Wood Group PLC ("Wood Group") for serious breaches of the Listing Rules (in particular Listing Principle 1). The breaches involved publishing misleading financial information and failing to maintain adequate internal controls and systems. Consultation on UK Corporate Re-Domiciliation Regime The government has published a consultation paper on corporate re-domiciliation, enabling a foreign-incorporated company to change its place of incorporation whilst retaining its legal identity.  Responses are due by 19 June 2026. FRC comply or explain guidance The FRC has published guidance to help companies improve the quality of their comply or explain reporting under the UK Corporate Governance Code (the “Code”), emphasising that a well-reasoned explanation is itself evidence of good governance and should not be treated as a mere compliance exercise. FCA amends UK Listing Rules on notification of purchase of own securities Issuers running share buyback programmes will have greater flexibility for notifying the market of share buyback transactions. The Parker Review — Annual Report 2026 The Parker Review has published its Annual Report for 2026, which highlights continued progress in Ethnic Minority representation. Recent case highlights the importance of clear draftingSynthos Spolka Akcyjna v Ineos Industries Holdings Ltd [2026] EWHC 83 (Comm) This case is a good reminder of the importance of clear drafting. The courts approach much of the drafting of share purchase agreements as an apportionment of risk by the parties - and they will look to hold them to the bargain they have struck. Supreme court rules that there is no time limit to bringing a claim for unfair prejudiceTHG plc v Zebra Trust Company (Jersey) Ltd [2026] UKSC 6 The Supreme Court has ruled that shareholder claims for unfair prejudice under the Companies Act 2006 are not subject to any statutory limitation period.

Welcome to the March 2026 edition of BCLP’s UK HR Two‑Minute Monthly – your quick, practical roundup of the latest UK employment law cases, HR developments and legislative news. Each month we break down key decisions and upcoming changes into concise, bite‑sized insights designed to help HR teams stay informed and ahead of emerging trends in employment law.

This case is both a reminder of the issue of reasonable belief in whistleblowing cases, particularly in relation to the public interest test, and the importance of clear documentation and evidence regarding performance issues.