Why 24 June and 1 July Are Significant

From 1 January 2027, all employees that have accumulated 6 months' continuous service will have the right to bring a claim for unfair dismissal, if they are dismissed or constructively dismissed. 

Counting back, an employee that starts on 1 July 2026 will therefore have 6 months' service by 1 January 2027. 

However, and very importantly, most employees will be entitled, by statute, to a minimum of 1 week's notice of termination, and this notice period will be factored into the continuous service calculation (even if the employer chooses to pay in lieu of notice and ends their employment immediately). 

Accordingly, all new-starters that begin work this Wednesday 24 June 2026 will, if still employed on 1 January 2027, have the right to bring a claim for unfair dismissal.

Furthermore, all new-starters that begin work on Wednesday 1 July 2026 and are dismissed on Christmas Eve or later, will have the right to bring a claim for unfair dismissal. This is because the 1 week notice period will be added on to 24 December, taking employees past the 1 January 2027 inception point.