2026: What’s Next for Employment Law?

In our recent article exploring key global employment law trends for 2026, we identified ‘landmark labour reform’ as a defining theme for the year ahead. The UK was a key example of a jurisdiction undergoing such change and so below, we examine in more detail the developments that are anticipated this year.

Last year was a defining one for US employment law, labour relations and workforce management. In 2025, shifting federal priorities and expanding state and local employment laws reshaped compliance expectations for US employers nationwide. Below, we countdown the top five trends that defined 2025 and explore how they are likely to influence employers’ strategies in 2026.

Irish employment law continued to evolve through 2025, with legislative movement across pay transparency, pensions, equality, and AI governance, alongside active adjudication before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Courts that will shape risk and practice into 2026. We set out the key developments employers need to track for the year ahead and beyond.