Government Roadmap of Key Employment Rights Bill Changes

Government Roadmap Outlines Implementation of Key Employment Rights Bill Changes

10th July, 2025

The Government has published its Implementation Roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill, which sets out a delivery plan for the wide-ranging Employment Rights Bill reforms.

The Government has outlined a ‘phased approach’ to the introduction of the new reforms and announced they will provide clear and comprehensive guidance to help organisations navigate the reforms in the period prior to the introduction of the changes.

The Government will also work closely with Acas who will play a crucial role in implementing the measures and supporting employers and workers.

Key implementation dates for reforms:

Immediate (awaiting Royal Assent):

Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and major parts of the Trade Union Act 2016 to create better relationships with the unions.
New protections preventing dismissal for participating in industrial action, ensuring workers can defend their rights.

April 2026:

Protective award for collective redundancies, doubling the maximum period of the protective award to provide financial security for workers.
‘Day 1’ paternity and unpaid parental leave to support working families from the start of employment.
Enhanced whistleblower protections to encourage reporting wrongdoing without receiving backlash.
Establishment of a Fair Work Agency to enforce labour rights and promote fairness in the workplace.
Statutory Sick Pay improvements, removal of lower earnings limit and waiting period.
Simplified trade union recognition and digital/workplace balloting systems to strengthen democracy and participation in the workplace.

October 2026:

Ban on fire-and-rehire to protect workers from being forced into worse terms.
Launch of a Fair Pay Agreement Negotiating Body for adult social care to raise standards and pay.
Stronger tipping laws to ensure fairness.
Employer duty to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment, creating safer, respectful workplaces.
Expanded trade union rights including, protections for representatives and protections against detriments

2027:

Mandatory gender pay gap and menopause action plans (voluntary from April 2026) to promote gender equality and support women’s health.
Rights for pregnant workers to safeguard job security.
Bereavement leave, to protect workers job security.
Protections against zero hour contract abuse to provide workers with stable hours and predictable income.
Umbrella company regulations.
‘Day 1’ unfair dismissal rights to ensure all workers are protected fairly from the start of employment.
Improving access to flexible working to help workers balance work with family, health and responsibilities.

Consultations will begin this summer and continue into early 2026.

Matthew Potter, Partner comments:

Although we now have a roadmap in terms of the anticipated implementation dates of the proposed changes under the ERB, employers are no further forward in understanding the detail of those proposed changes until such time that detailed guidance is published. It’s imperative that the Government issue the relevant guidance as a matter of priority and in a timely matter ahead of each of the staging dates.

If you have any questions on any of the upcoming changes, please contact a member of the team here.

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