Posted Date: 3rd July 2025

 

The Government has published an Employment Rights Bill roadmap, which outlines a phased implementation of reforms designed to improve fairness, security, and working conditions across the UK labour market.

With so much content about changes to employment legislation circulating, we have simplified the details for you below:

Immediately after Royal Assent (expected Autumn 2025):
✔️Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and most of the Trade Union Act 2016
✔️Protections against dismissal for taking industrial action

From April 2026:
✔️Statutory Sick Pay removal of lower earnings limit and waiting period
✔️Day-one rights to paternity and unpaid parental leave
✔️Establishment of the Fair Work Agency
✔️Enhanced whistleblowing protections
✔️Simplified trade union recognition and electronic/workplace balloting
✔️Doubling the maximum period of the Collective redundancy protective award

From October 2026:
✔️Restrictions on fire-and-rehire practices
✔️Stronger tipping laws with mandatory worker consultation
✔️Employer duties to prevent sexual harassment, including by third parties
✔️Expanded trade union rights and tribunal protections
✔️Duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union
✔️Extension of tribunal time limits from three to six months

From 2027:
✔️Day-one protection from unfair dismissal
✔️Gender pay gap and menopause action plans
✔️Introduction of bereavement leave
✔️Regulation of zero-hours contracts
✔️Improved access to flexible working
✔️Enhanced rights for pregnant workers
✔️Industrial relations framework
✔️Regulation of umbrella companies
✔️Collective redundancy – amendment to collective consultation threshold
✔️Introducing a power to specify steps that are to be regarded as “reasonable”, to prevent sexual harassment

Contact us for HR support, including producing contracts and employment handbooks, which we will review annually, to ensure you are compliant with ever-changing employment legislation.