The Government has finally published its implementation roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill – confirming what’s happening, and when.
Perhaps surprisingly, big-ticket items like day-one unfair dismissal rights won’t land until 2027!
Various consultations will begin this summer and continue into 2026. Here’s a summary of the key changes and implementation dates:
Immediate (awaiting Royal Assent)
- Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023
- Repeal of key provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016
- Protection from dismissal for participating in industrial action
April 2026
- Day-one paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
- Statutory Sick Pay – removal of lower earnings limit and waiting days
- Maximum protective award for collective redundancies doubled
- Enhanced whistleblowing protections
- Simplified trade union recognition and digital/workplace balloting
- Establishment of a new Fair Work Agency
October 2026
- Ban on fire-and-rehire practices
- New Fair Pay Agreement Negotiating Body for adult social care
- Stronger tipping laws
- Employer duty to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment
- Expansion of trade union rights
2027
- Day-one unfair dismissal rights
- Mandatory gender pay gap and menopause action plans (voluntary from April 2026)
- Stronger rights for pregnant workers
- Bereavement leave
- Zero-hour contract protections
- Regulation of umbrella companies
We’ll update you as consultations get underway. In the meantime, we’re updating our Employment Rights Bill summary and tracker to help you with the practical steps you’ll need to consider for your contracts, policies and processes.
Need help keeping your team on top of all the ERB changes? Our annual People Team Training could be the solution – find out more.
We provide an additional resource throughout the year to keep your team ahead of employment law developments and people trends – so you don’t have to! It’s more than just ‘information giving’ – it’s all about providing practical, relevant solutions to help your team manage the changes and topics we cover throughout the year.
This update is accurate on the date it was published but may be subject to change which may or may not be notified to you. This update is not to be taken as advice and you should seek advice if anything contained within affects you or your business.
