The Employment Rights Bill roadmap – what employers need to know

After months of anticipation, the Government has finally confirmed the timeline for implementing the Employment Rights Bill, and the changes are far-reaching.

From the repeal of controversial strike laws to the introduction of day-one unfair dismissal rights and enhanced protections around sick pay, pregnancy, harassment and whistleblowing, this is one of the most significant shifts in UK employment law in decades.

While some measures will take effect almost immediately, others won’t be implemented until 2027. Perhaps most surprisingly, big-ticket items like day-one unfair dismissal rights won’t land until 2027. 

Many are still unclear about the scale of transformation required. From overhauling probation processes and updating employment contracts to training line managers and rewriting internal policies. But putting in the groundwork now will mean less disruption when the new rules come into force.

This staggered timeline gives employers a more manageable window to proactively prepare , rather than respond reactively.

Here’s what you need to know. 

What’s changing – and when?

The roadmap sets out a phased approach – from some immediate introductions (subject to Royal Assent), right through to 2027.

Immediately (awaiting Royal Assent):

• Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023
• Repeal of key provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016
• New protection from dismissal for employees participating in industrial action

April 2026:

• Day-one rights to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
• Statutory Sick Pay reform, removing the requirement to wait three days and the scrapping the £123 lower earnings limit
• Maximum protective award for collective redundancies doubled
  • Watch our on-demand ‘2025 Redundancy landscape: People, process and engagement’ webinar to find out more
• Enhanced whistleblowing protections
• Simplified trade union recognition processes and electronic balloting
• New Fair Work Agency established to support enforcement

October 2026:

• An extended legal duty on employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment including from third parties (compared to “reasonable and proactive steps” outlined in the amendment to the Equality Act 2010)
  • Watch our on-demand ‘Preventing  Sexual Harassment at Work’ eLearning walkthrough to find out more
• Ban on fire-and-rehire practices
• Stronger rights for trade union members and representatives
• New Fair Pay Agreement body for adult social care
• Stricter laws on tipping practices

2027:

• Day-one unfair dismissal rights
• Mandatory gender pay gap and menopause action plans (voluntary trials from April 2026)
• Stronger protections for pregnant workers and new mothers
• Bereavement leave
• Restrictions on zero-hours contracts
• Regulation of umbrella companies

What does the Employment Rights Bill mean for employers?

The scale and pace of change will create clear expectations for fairer treatment at work, and increase compliance risk for organisations that aren’t prepared. 

The phased approach gives employers time to act. But for HR teams and business leaders, nine months isn’t long to review and revise internal policies, processes and contracts, especially when even more changes are due just six months later. 

Key areas of focus include:

• Policy updates: Particularly around sickness, family leave, whistleblowing, harassment prevention, and dismissal procedures.
• Line manager training: To ensure awareness of new day-one rights and employer duties.
• Employee communications: So that expectations are aligned and reputational risks managed.
• HR systems and data: To monitor compliance, flag trends, and prepare for enforcement from the new Fair Work Agency.

Although the ERB roadmap may be longer, reducing the potential for conflict and subsequent employment tribunal (ET) claims is critical as organisations will face heightened legal scrutiny, rising ER case volumes and growing financial and reputational risks.

Getting the processes right now, before the changes come into effect, will reduce the opportunity for disputes and disagreements.

Strategic compliance: Balancing business goals with legal requirements

There’s no doubt that many of the reforms aim to strengthen protection for workers and create a more consistent, transparent employment framework.

But for employers already grappling with higher employment costs and complex compliance obligations, the cumulative impact will be significant. For large organisations, preparation will mean careful planning across HR, legal, finance and operations. For smaller employers, a lack of in-house resource could make compliance more difficult.

The Government has pledged ongoing consultation and guidance, and Empowering People Group will play a central role in helping businesses navigate the changes. We’re already supporting organisations to prepare for the impact of the changes through proactive legal advice and empowering HR technology.  

What happens next?

Various consultations will begin this summer and continue into 2026, with further detail on draft regulations and guidance to follow.

In the meantime, we are working to update our Employment Rights Bill summary and tracker with the latest updates to help you get ahead of the practical steps you’ll need to take across your contracts, policies and processes.

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And if you’d like to talk through what the roadmap means for your organisation, we’re here to help. Contact us for a free consultation. 

One thing’s clear: delaying preparation isn’t an option. Whether you see these changes as long overdue or potentially disruptive, the ERB will significantly reshape the employment relationship over the next two years. Now’s the time to act.