The Employment and Appointments Committee of the West of England Combined Authority met on Friday 5 June 2026. The committee approved changes to HR policies and contractual terms to mitigate risks associated with upcoming employment legislation, and also noted wider policy updates.

HR Policy and Contractual Changes

The committee approved a series of changes to HR policies and contractual terms designed to address the implications of forthcoming employment legislation. These changes include a reduction in the qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection from two years to six months, an extension of the employment tribunal claim limitation period from three months to six months, and the removal of the statutory cap on unfair dismissal compensation.

To mitigate the increased legal, financial, and operational risks associated with these legislative changes, the committee approved a reduction in the MCA's contractual probation period from six months to four months, with an option to extend by one month. This ensures that probation processes are concluded before employees reach the six-month service mark, thereby reducing the risk of employees gaining unfair dismissal protection while still on probation. The committee also approved a revised MCA Contract of Employment for all new employees commencing employment from 1 July 2026.

In addition to these key changes, the committee noted amendments made to the Grievance Policy, Organisational Change Policy, and Travel and Accommodation Policy. The report highlighted that these revisions are part of the wider People and Cultural transformation programme and aim to ensure policies are legally compliant, consistent, clear, relevant, and easy to understand. The committee was informed that the disciplinary policy amendments, specifically relating to the management of allegations concerning Statutory Officers, were also approved. The report noted that officers would undertake further work on amendments to the disciplinary policy concerning Statutory Officers, and therefore, no vote was taken on that specific item at this meeting.

The committee voted to approve these recommendations.