Busting Myths About the Employment Rights Act 2025
A clear overview of the key changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025, and what they mean in practice for employers.
Jackie Cuneen
Employment Individual, Employment Business
Partner, Employment Law Team
Contact Information
Testimonials
The people at Machins are what make the difference. Jackie Cuneen was absolutely brilliant - she just got it. She took the time to really understand what I was going through and never made me feel rushed. What I really appreciated about Jackie was how attentive she was. She spent ages getting to grips with all the details of my case and made sure I understood everything that was happening.
Legal 500 2026 Client Testimonial
Jackie Cuneen was the individual that assisted me with my employment requirement. I cannot praise highly enough her expertise, professionalism and dedication. She offered clear legal guidance and helped me achieve positive outcomes to a very complex case. Her attention to detail and empathetic approach is highly recommended.
Legal 500 2026 Client Testimonial
Jackie Cuneen and David Rushmere work closely with our business and have an understanding of us which give us a shorthand for problem resolution. Pragmatic, and commercially adept, the advice provided is sound and timely with cover between the partners during leave for continuity.
Legal 500 2025
I deal with Jackie Cuneen. she looks at things differently and with clarity. She clearly knows her stuff.
Legal 500 2025
I have been impressed with how quickly and effectively Jackie was able to get on top of a complicated claim that we are working on when one of her team, sadly, fell ill. Jackie has been tremendous help throughout. She has been approachable and responsive and is quick to deal with issues in a sensible and commercial way.
Legal 500 2023
Jackie Cuneen provides advice for employment relations cases. She has a pragmatic approach to problem-solving and is clear in relation to risk in order that the business can make commercial decisions advisedly. She is able to translate legal language into language easily understood by managers who need to be brought into the process.
Legal 500 2021
I have had the pleasure of working with partner Jackie Cuneen on several occasions. She has been the epitome of what one should expect of individuals within the legal profession: knowledgeable, approachable, objective, and professional at all times. I have also worked less closely with associates which again has proved to be the most professional experience on each occasion.
Legal 500 2021
I would thoroughly recommend Machins and especially Jackie Cuneen. With her knowledge and expertise in employment law I would highly recommend her to anyone I know. Service was 100%. No improvements need or necessary in my view. I felt that I was in good hands at all times.
Jackie Cuneen is able, and provides options in relation to solutions with a clear measure of the risk associated with the choices available in complex cases. She does so with a strong understanding of our business, culture, and a great sense of perspective making often difficult situations simpler to navigate. To top that, she is personable and easy to wok with and I would recommend her and her team to others.
Legal 500 2022
Jackie Cuneen is an excellent member of the team, providing valuable assistance.
Legal 500 2022
Knowledgeable person giving advice and capable of explaining processes in a simple easy to understand way.
About Jackie
Having qualified in 1998 Jackie spent 13 years in the City as a senior lawyer at CMS Cameron McKenna, K&L Gates and Starr & Partners before joining Machins as a partner in 2013.
Jackie advises a broad client base on all aspects of employment; businesses across all industries but with a focus on TMT and financial services, business owners and directors, HR teams and consultants of SMEs, national and international businesses.
Jackie also regularly advises senior executives, director/shareholders on their individual employment matters.
Jackie is an avid supporter of cancer charities and their members, providing advice and guidance to individuals and businesses on Disability Discrimination Law and practice.
Specialist practice areas
Jackie advises a broad client base, businesses across all industries but with a focus on TMT and financial services, business owners and directors, HR teams and consultants of SMEs, national and international businesses. advising on:
- Business as Usual employment issues such as HR training
- Drafting and implementation of employment policy and contract
- Business reorganisations and redundancies
- Senior appointments and exits, drafting/ negotiating Settlement Agreements
- Dispute resolution and mediation, cases to the Employment Tribunals, High Court and Appeal Courts
Jackie has particular experience in anti-competition matters: advising on the drafting and enforcement of post termination restrictions
On the corporate side employment issues such as
- Buying and selling businesses
- TUPE business transfers and outsourcing,
- Drafting and negotiating contract indemnities and exit provisions
- Collective redundancy programmes
Latest news by Jackie Cuneen
Hats off – avoiding deadlock in business ownership
Business owners, particularly in small businesses, can often wear too many hats. Whether it be as a shareholder, director and/or employee, each of these hats carries very different rights and responsibilities:- Shareholders: investors in the business and their relationship to each other is governed by the Companies Act and any shareholder agreement (if one is
Regulator confirms to employers that menopause can be a disability
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued guidance for employers confirming that the menopause can be classed as a disability. The new document, entitled Menopause in the workplace: Guidance for employers, sets out an employer’s legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. EHRC says many women experience negative impacts of menopausal symptoms in
Job Hunting and Cancer
It can’t be put off any longer. Applying for a new job is a job in itself: updating the CV, filling out the application form, then the dreaded interview questions. If you have cancer you may be putting it off because you don’t know “what to say?” or “what you should say?” or “what you
Dismissing employee for failing to complete training was ‘not unfair’
A pharmaceutical company was within its rights to dismiss an employee who failed to complete mandatory online training courses. That was the decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in a recent case involving a medical sales rep Mr Barongo. who was employed by Quintiles Commercial UK. In January 2016, Mr Barongo was dismissed for failing
William Hill manager ‘unfairly dismissed’ for refusing pay cut
A betting shop manager has won her unfair dismissal claim after she was sacked for refusing to accept a new contract on a lower pay grade. Nicola Dinham had worked as a manager for William Hill for 18 years. The company restructured its employment model, merging the roles of shop manager and deputy manager into