How to navigate the Employment Rights Bill roadmap
The Government has now published a roadmap, setting out the timings of new employment rules under the Employment Rights Bill. These new laws will affect both employers and employees.
Employment Rights Bill amendments
In our recent blog, our employment law solicitors looked at the Employment Rights Bill, which was first published in October 2024 as phase one of Labour’s ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’.
The Bill proposed several amendments and new laws for the workplace, affecting both employers and employees. These included:
- Offering guaranteed minimum hours in zero-hour contracts
- Ending fire and rehire
- Introducing a day-one right to protection from unfair dismissal
- Changes to Bereavement Leave
- Changes to Paternity and Parental Leave
- New duties for employers to prevent sexual harassment
- Removing the Lower Earnings Limit for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
What is included in the Employment Rights Bill roadmap?
Several new rules will come into force. Some are imminent, and others will be effective from next year (2026) and 2027.
The below will be implemented immediately the Bill receives Royal Assent:
- A repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and the Majority of the Trade Union Act 2016; the aim is to create a better relationship with unions to prevent the need for strikes in the future.
- Enhanced protections against dismissal for workers taking industrial action.
Changes to employment law from April 2026:
- Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave will be a day-one right
- The lower earnings limit and waiting period for SSP will be removed
- Enhanced whistleblowing protections
- A Fair Work agency will be established to promote fairness in the workplace
- Trade union recognition processes and electronic and workplace balloting will be simplified
- Workers facing mass redundancies will receive double the maximum period of the Redundancy Protective Award
Changes to employment law from October 2026:
- The end of fire and rehire practices
- Tightening the law on tipping
- Employers must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment at work
- New rights and protections for trade union representatives
From 2027:
- Mandatory gender pay gap reporting and menopause action plans (voluntary from April 2026)
- Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant people and those returning from maternity leave
- Extended bereavement leave
- Changes to zero-hour contracts, giving workers stable hours and a predictable income
The much-anticipated change to day-one protection from unfair dismissal has been delayed until 2027. While this gives employers longer to consider their policies and procedures, it will no doubt be less welcome news to employees.
What employers need to do next
2026 may seem like a long way off, but many of the upcoming changes are significant and require changes to working practices and policies and procedures.
The list of employment law changes on the horizon is long, and future planning is essential to avoid being subject to an employment claim by your workforce.
For the changes that are coming in as soon as the Bill is passed, if you are an organisation likely to be affected by industrial action, it is wise to speak to an employment law solicitor about making sure you comply with the new rules.
Contact our employment law solicitors
There have already been several changes to employment law in recent months, such as the Neonatal Care Act and the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legal definition of a woman, and there is more to come.
To speak to our employment lawyers about ensuring your business or organisation is compliant, call us on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online enquiry form.
