The government has recently published its Employment Rights Bill Implementation Roadmap, which provides a timeline of when the measures are coming into effect. Whether you are an employer or an employee, you may be wondering how it will affect you.
Immediate action
Some measures will be implemented immediately upon the passing of the bill. These include the repeal of the Strikes Act 2023 and much of the Trade Union Act 2016, with the aim of building a better relationship with unions to prevent the need for future strikes. Workers will also be protected against dismissal if they take industrial action.
If you are unsure how these measures affect you, it may be worth taking legal advice, such as from a London law firm, like https://www.forsters.co.uk/.
2026
In April 2026, measures to be implemented include ‘Day one’ paternity leave and unpaid parental leave to support parents from the start of employment, collective redundancy protective award, whistleblowing protections, removing the lower earnings limit and the waiting period on statutory sick pay, the establishment of a fair work agency, and a package of trade union measures.
October 2026 is set to see the end of fire and rehire practices, measures to raise pay and standards in the social care sector, and a tightening of tipping laws. There will also be measures obligating employers to create safer workplaces by taking reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and harassment of employees by third parties.
2027
The next phase will be implemented in 2027. This takes action on the gender pay gap and also includes menopause action plans and dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers.
There will also be measures on bereavement leave to give workers time to grieve without fear of being dismissed, the end of zero hours contracts to provide workers with a more stable, predictable income, and a ‘Day 1’ right to protection from unfair dismissal. Another area being looked at is improved access to flexible working, with the aim of helping people better balance their work with family life, health, and other social obligations.
