The Government’s new Employment Rights Bill stands as the most significant reform to UK employment law in a generation.
As a UK employer, it should be a business-critical priority to stay on top of these changes; you must prepare to amend your contracts and documentation in advance. If you fail to do so, you could face fines, tribunals, and even, in the worst case, prosecution.
It can be challenging for business owners and HR managers to prepare for these changes when understanding them is complex; the employment rights bill is proposing more than twenty reforms, staggered over a three-year period.
Taking place from April next year, legislative changes will apply to most businesses, regardless of type or industry, and will be rolled out in stages, culminating in 2027.
Summary of the imminent changes:
- Repeal of Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and parts of Trade Union Act 2016.
- Protections against dismissal for industrial action.
- Double collective redundancy protective award period.
- Removal of Statutory Sick Pay lower earnings limit and waiting period.
- Day-one paternity and unpaid parental leave.
- Enhanced whistleblowing protection.
- Simplify trade union recognition and introduce electronic balloting.
- Establish Fair Work Agency for labour rights enforcement.
- Extended trade union protections and access rights.
- Employers must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.
- Duty to prevent sexual harassment by third parties.
- End to exploitative fire-and-rehire practices.
- Fair pay agreement for adult social care (England).
- Strengthen tipping law with worker consultation.
- Day-one unfair dismissal rights (remove 2-year service clause)
- Access to flexible working.
- Modern industrial relations framework.
- End exploitative zero-hours contracts.
- Further harassment protections with specific employer steps.
- Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers.
- Bereavement leave.
- Gender pay gap and menopause action plans (mandatory from 2027, voluntary from April 2026).
Implementation timeline
If you need to keep a record of changes proposed by the Employment Rights Bill, we encourage you to download the implementation timeline below and store it somewhere easily accessible. Below you will find information on which changes will take effect and when, helping you to prepare your contracts and documentation ahead of time.
Need help understanding your responsibilities under the Employment Rights Bill?
Croner are here to support your business during these once-in-a-generation changes to Employment Law. Our expert team is on hand 24/7 to assist with ensuring your business is compliant with these new legislative changes, as they happen. Call us today on 0800 022 3820 and quote 932613.
