DPH Legal

Key Clauses Every Settlement Agreement Should Include Discover the essential clauses every settlement agreement should include to protect your interests and ensure a fair, enforceable resolution.

Helen Kidd recently joined DPH Legal as an Employment Solicitor, and we are delighted to have her as part of the team!

With more than two decades of legal practice, Helen has operated extensively throughout the public and private sectors, delivering high-level counsel to organisations of every scale as well as individual claimants. Her comprehensive range of experience spans the full spectrum of workforce issues, including organisational restructuring, disciplinary procedures, ill-health capability, performance management, and equality law compliance.

Skilled in drafting and implementing robust workplace frameworks, Helen’s track record includes partnering with large public sector bodies, notably a metropolitan council of over 14,000 employees.

Helen provides employers with straightforward and practical advice that balances legal protection with commercial reality, tailoring her approach to the particular circumstances and risk profile of each organisation.

In addition to providing expert legal support to employers, she is adept at guiding individual clients through workplace grievances and settlement negotiations, offering rigorous merit assessments and realistic valuations to ensure clear expectations from the outset.

Helen is a strategic, approachable and effective communicator who recognises that employment issues can often be stressful for those involved. Her advice is centred on each client’s instructions, circumstances and, most importantly, what they are seeking to achieve.

Helen is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Law Society.

Feel free to contact Helen if you need legal advice about an employment issue in your workplace. You can find her contact details on our website:

https://dphlegal.com/our-team/

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The upcoming October 2026 employment law reforms present both compliance challenges and strategic opportunities for UK employers. Key changes will require immediate review across your HR policies and operational procedures.

From extended Employment Tribunal time limits and updated Right to Work rules to enhanced duties around preventing workplace harassment and new trade union regulations, the scope of these reforms requires proactive attention.

Early preparation will help employers identify potential gaps, brief managers and HR teams, and make any necessary changes before the relevant commencement dates.

In our latest DPH Legal Briefing Note, we summarise the key October 2026 reforms and highlight the practical steps employers should consider taking now.

Click the link below to read the full Briefing Note.

https://mailchi.mp/dphlegal/dph-legal-briefing-note-september-2026-17306053

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Can I Be Made Redundant While Pregnant? Your Rights Explained | DPH Legal You can be made redundant while pregnant, but your employer cannot select you because of your pregnancy. Read this article to find out more.

Facing redundancy while you are pregnant or on maternity leave can cause significant stress at a time when security and peace of mind are priorities for most people.

While employers can legally make roles redundant during pregnancy for genuine business reasons, selecting an employee on the basis of pregnancy is strictly unlawful and could give rise to a maternity discrimination claim.

Crucially, pregnant workers benefit from enhanced legal protections. These include priority access to any suitable alternative vacancies within the company. If you suspect that pregnancy played a role in your selection for redundancy, you might have grounds for legal action.

Read our latest article to understand your rights and what steps you can take if you have been unfairly treated because of pregnancy.

You can find it here:

https://dphlegal.com/can-i-be-made-redundant-while-pregnant-your-rights-explained/

Can I Be Made Redundant While Pregnant? Your Rights Explained | DPH Legal You can be made redundant while pregnant, but your employer cannot select you because of your pregnancy. Read this article to find out more.

Leaving a job can be confusing, especially when your employer uses legal terms you might not be familiar with. If you have been offered Payment in Lieu of Notice, or PILON, you probably want to know what happens next.

PILON allows you to leave your role immediately while still getting paid for your full notice period. While it offers a clean break, it functions very differently from garden leave and carries distinct tax implications that should not be confused with tax-free settlement compensation.

Read our latest article to learn how PILON works and what to check before signing. You can find it here:

https://www.settlementagreements.co.uk/what-does-payment-in-lieu-of-notice-mean/

How Flexible Working Rights Are Changing | DPH Legal The Employment Rights Act 2025 will strengthen flexible working rights from 2027. Find out how the changes could affect you with DPH Legal.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 marks a major shift in how employers must approach flexible working requests.

Starting in 2027, employees will be able to request flexible working from day one of employment. Although employers will retain the right to decline requests for valid commercial reasons, they will face a noticeably stricter test to defend their decisions.

With employment tribunals preparing to scrutinise refusal processes and potential indirect discrimination risks more closely, early preparation is essential. Employers should act now to review existing policies and train managers effectively.

Read our latest article for practical guidance on preparing your business for these upcoming legislative reforms.

https://dphlegal.com/employment-rights-act-2025-how-flexible-working-rights-are-changing/

How Flexible Working Rights Are Changing | DPH Legal The Employment Rights Act 2025 will strengthen flexible working rights from 2027. Find out how the changes could affect you with DPH Legal.