TUPE regulations and legislation

TUPE regulations have a reputation for being a complex and daunting area of employment law. This hasn’t been helped by a number of European Court decisions (which affect the way UK tribunals apply TUPE law), that have been particularly opaque and difficult to understand.

Despite all of this, underlying TUPE employment law and the EU Directive on which it is based are two simple and relatively uncontroversial ideas. The first is that, when an employer acquires a business, the rights that the existing employees of that business have in their jobs should be protected as against the new employer. This means that, in most respects, the new employer steps into the old employer’s shoes.

The second is that the transfer of a business will go more smoothly if the workforce is kept informed and is consulted about any matters that will affect it. Our lawyers can guide you through complicated TUPE legislation and ensure your business benefits from change.