The Government’s Employment Rights Bill implementation roadmap sets out when changes to employment rights, enacted through the Act are expected to come into effect.  The Bill is expected to gain Royal Assent in October 2025.

October 2025

• An immediate repeal of the strikes (minimum service levels) Act 2023 and the majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 – the objective being to create a better relationship with unions and prevent the need for future strikes.
• Protections against dismissal for taking industrial action – to better ensure workers can defend their rights without fear of losing their jobs.

April 2026: 

• Collective redundancy protective award – doubling the maximum period of the protective award to provide stronger financial security for workers facing mass redundancies.
• ‘Day one’ paternity leave and unpaid parental leave to support working families from the very start of employment.
• Whistleblowing protections to encourage reporting of wrongdoing without fear of retaliation.
• Fair work agency established to enforce labour rights and promote fairness in the workplace.
• Statutory sick pay – removing the lower earnings limit and waiting period.

October 2026: 

• Ending fire and rehire practices to protect workers from being forced into worse terms under threat of dismissal.
• Regulations to establish the fair pay agreement adult social care negotiating body in England to raise standards and pay in the social care sector.
• Tightening tipping law – strengthen the law on tipping by mandating consultation with workers to ensure fairer tip allocation.
• Requiring employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees to create safer, more respectful workplaces. This builds on the Preventative Duty introduced in October 2024.
• Introducing an obligation on employers not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties to extend protections to all work environments, including public-facing roles.

2027: 

• Gender pay gap and menopause action plans to promote gender equality and support women’s health in the workplace.
• Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers to safeguard job security during pregnancy, maternity leave, and a return-to-work period.
• Bereavement leave to give workers time to grieve with job security.
• Ending the exploitative use of zero hours contracts to provide workers with stable hours and predictable income.
• ‘Day 1’ right to protection from unfair dismissal to ensure all workers are treated fairly from the start of employment.
• Improving access to flexible working to help people balance work with family, health, and other responsibilities.

The Government say that to ensure employers and workers are in the best possible position when these measures come into effect, they will produce clear and comprehensive guidance to help organisations navigate the changes.

The Government will also work closely with ACAS which will play a crucial role in both implementation of the new measures and continuing to provide support to employers and workers moving forward.

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