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REC Podcast: Talking Recruitment
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A regular podcast featuring the leading thinkers from across the recruitment and business world
Meet our host, Neil Carberry
Neil Carberry was appointed as Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation in June 2018 having been managing director at the Confederation of British Industry, leading the CBI’s work on the labour market, skills, energy and infrastructure. In 1999, Neil began his career in recruitment working for executive search firm Fraser Watson before doing a post-graduate degree in Human Resources at the London School of Economics and joining the CBI in 2004. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Fellow of the RSA. He is a member of the council of the conciliation service ACAS and a former member of the Low Pay Commission, which recommends UK minimum wages. A three-time nominee to the SIA staffing100 in Europe, he is also on the board of the World Employment Confederation, Total People and a primary academy trust in Oxfordshire. Neil is an RFU qualified rugby coach and is one of the 8000 co-owners who made Heart of Midlothian the UK’s biggest fan-owned football club.
*The views expressed by guests on the REC's Talking Recruitment podcast are not those of the REC and reflect the individual's personal opinions.
Welcome to our 2026 series
Episode 77: Get April Ready: What you need to know about the Employment Rights Act
In this episode of Talking Recruitment, Neil Carberry is joined by Paul Chamberlain (JMW Solicitors), David Johnson (PayStream) and Lewis Gosling (Liquid Friday) to discuss what the Employment Rights Act means for recruitment businesses right now and how agencies can prepare for the changes coming into force from April.
The conversation focuses on the immediate operational challenges around day-one Statutory Sick Pay, supply-chain accountability and the creation of the Fair Work Agency, as well as the wider shift toward greater transparency and compliance across the temporary labour market.
The panel explores:
• Why the Employment Rights Act will be implemented in stages and why many details are still being shaped through consultation
• The practical implications of day-one Statutory Sick Pay for recruitment businesses and labour supply chains
• How agencies should prepare operationally for increased eligibility and potential cost impacts
• Why supply-chain accountability is becoming a central theme of labour market regulation
• The role of the new Fair Work Agency in enforcing labour market standards
• Why stronger compliance and transparency could become a commercial advantage for recruiters
Despite a challenging regulatory landscape, the discussion concludes that recruitment businesses that invest in compliance, transparency and stronger client partnerships will be well positioned to adapt and succeed.
This is a must listen for recruiters before the legislative changes come into effect next month.
Guests:
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Paul Chamberlain, Partner, JMW Solicitors
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David Johnson, Head of Legal, PayStream
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Lewis Gosling, Head of Tech Ops, Liquid Friday
Exclusive ERB Episode
Episode 61: The Employment Rights Bill exclusive with Justin Madders MP
In this exclusive episode of the Talking Recruitment Podcast, Neil Carberry sits down with Justin Madders MP, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets, for a timely conversation exploring the Government’s employment agenda and the future of work in the UK. With the Employment Rights Bill on the horizon and his recent fireside chat at RECLive25, this episode offers a front-row seat to the thinking behind the proposed reforms and what they mean for the recruitment industry.
Speaker: Justin Madders MP, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets
More episodes
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Enjoying our podcasts? Why not join Neil's live webinar to discuss the big issues affecting our industry?
View our 2025 schedule of Neil's Talking Recruitment webinars and book your place early.
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