This Month’s Highlights
This month, we’re proud to share highlights from our team’s participation in the London Legal Walk 2025, introduce a new member of our team, and bring you the latest on evolving employment law – new whistleblowing protections related to UK sanctions, key amendments to the Employment Rights Bill, and a landmark case on maternity discrimination.
KLG Joins the London Legal Walk 2025
We were delighted to take part in this year’s London Legal Walk on Tuesday, 17th June 2025, alongside hundreds of other legal professionals raising funds for access to justice.
The walk supports the London Legal Support Trust, which funds free legal advice charities that help vulnerable people facing issues such as homelessness, debt, discrimination, and domestic abuse.
A huge thank you to our amazing team who participated, and to everyone who donated to this fantastic cause. We’re proud to support equal access to legal advice for all!
If you’d like to support the cause, donations are still open at our fundraising page: London Legal Support Trust: London Legal Walk 2025
Welcoming Geeta Daswani to the KLG Team!
We’re thrilled to announce that Geeta Daswani has joined Kalra Legal Group as a Commercial/Corporate Consultant.
Geeta is a dual-qualified lawyer (England and Wales, and India) with over 7 years of experience, specialising in commercial and corporate law. She holds a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property Law from King’s College London and has a strong focus on assisting business owners with all aspects of non-contentious commercial law.
Having run her own legal practice for several years, Geeta advises clients on a broad range of matters including commercial contracts, acquisitions, joint ventures, franchising, start-up legal support, data protection, and the contractual aspects of IP law.
Her industry experience spans health, hospitality, construction, private equity, sustainability, education, and TMT. Geeta is especially passionate about working with ethical, cruelty-free, sustainable, and impact-driven businesses.
Geeta practices in both the UK and UAE jurisdictions, and her deep commercial insight will bring valuable expertise to our clients.
Please join us in giving Geeta a warm welcome!
If you require any services in this area of law, please do contact us.
Legal News & Developments
On 1 July 2025, the Government published its official roadmap for implementing the Employment Rights Bill, bringing an end to speculation around key timelines. The roadmap sets out a phased approach to the Bill’s rollout, beginning with measures that will take effect immediately upon Royal Assent and continuing through to 2027. It also outlines upcoming consultations on specific proposals, giving businesses and stakeholders time to prepare.
Employers should closely monitor these developments to ensure they remain compliant, adjust internal policies in line with new obligations, and take part in consultations where relevant.
Employment Rights Bill: July Update
Important New Amendments to the Employment Rights Bill
- Recently published amendments to the Bill introduce several major changes, including: A ban on NDAs (including within settlement agreements) that seek to cover up harassment and discrimination in the workplace
- A softening of the proposed ban on fire-and-rehire practices
- Major reforms to whistleblowing legislation
- Key changes to the complex rules around zero-hour workers
In addition, as previously anticipated, the amendments introduce a new form of ‘miscarriage leave’, extending bereavement leave to include loss of a child within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy (previously, leave applied only after 24 weeks).
Whistleblowing Reform: Breaches of UK Sanctions
On 21 May 2025, the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order 2025 was presented before Parliament and came into force on 26 June 2025. This amendment updates the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014 and significantly expands whistleblower protections related to UK sanctions.
Key changes include:
- HM Treasury is now formally designated as a prescribed person for whistleblowing disclosures concerning breaches of UK financial sanctions.
- The scope of reportable matters to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Secretary of State for Transport has been widened to explicitly include sanctions-related disclosures, such as trade sanctions and director disqualification sanctions.
These updates aim to strengthen transparency and accountability around the enforcement of UK sanctions by offering greater protection for individuals who raise concerns about potential wrongdoing.
Under the UK’s whistleblowing framework, individuals are protected from unfair dismissal or detriment if they make a protected disclosure – a report of certain types of wrongdoing – to specified individuals or bodies, including their employer, a legal adviser, or a prescribed person.
With these latest changes:
- Whistleblowers who report suspected breaches of financial sanctions directly to HM Treasury will be legally protected under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
- Similarly, individuals reporting potential violations of trade sanctions (including import/export controls and director bans) to the Secretaries of State named above will also benefit from protection.
What Employers Should Do Now:
To ensure compliance and mitigate risk, employers are advised to:
- Update internal whistleblowing policies to reflect the new prescribed persons and scope of protected disclosures.
- Inform staff about the updated reporting channels and the legal protections available to whistleblowers.
- Review and strengthen sanctions compliance frameworks to ensure breaches can be detected and addressed swiftly.
By taking these proactive steps, organisations demonstrate their commitment to compliance, ethical conduct, and safeguarding against both legal and reputational harm related to sanctions breaches.
Case Update: Maternity Discrimination at Coca-Cola – €68,000 Award
An ex-Coca-Cola employee has been awarded €68,000 by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) after it found she was discriminated against upon returning from maternity leave.
The employee, who had been with the company for six years, was informed just days before her return in January 2024 that she would not be resuming her previous role, but instead would be moved to a new position on a different team. Despite equal pay and grade, the WRC ruled the change amounted to a demotion and concluded that the decision had been made prior to her return without offering meaningful options.
The employee later resigned, citing stress, and the WRC found she had been discriminated against on the grounds of gender, in breach of the Employment Equality Act 1998.
This case serves as a clear reminder that employers must carefully manage return-to-work processes following maternity leave, ensuring proper consultation and avoiding unilateral role changes.
Ending the Month on a High: Team Day at Boodles
To close out the month, the KLG team stepped away from our desks and enjoyed a fantastic day at The Boodles Tennis at Stoke Park.
At Kalra Legal Group, we believe that a strong workplace culture is built both in and out of the office. Every quarter, we take time to bond, unwind, and celebrate team achievements – and what better place than the beautiful Stoke Park?
Here’s to building bonds, sharing laughs, and creating a workplace we’re proud to be part of.
Final Thoughts
July brings a mix of legal updates and proud team milestones. With new guidance, upcoming legislation, and equality obligations evolving rapidly, it’s essential for employers to stay proactive and informed.
Our team at Kalra Legal Group is here to help you navigate these developments. Whether you need support reviewing policies, updating contracts, or training staff, we’re ready to assist.
For further guidance, contact our dedicated Employment Law team at Kalra Legal Group.
Kind regards,
Kalra Legal Group
