On 1 July 2025, the government published its planned timetable for future consultations and implementation of key measures within the Employment Rights Bill (ERB). We have summarised this below. Note that only a few provisions of the ERB will come into force immediately upon Royal Assent (which is expected in the Autumn). Most changes require further regulations before they can be implemented.
The government also recently announced a review of parental leave and pay, further details of which are set out below.
The planned implementation timetable is shown below.
In force at Royal Assent or soon afterwards
Royal Assent for the Employment Rights Bill is expected to take place in Autumn 2025.
- Changes relating to trade unions and industrial action including repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act and simplification of the process for commencing industrial action.
In force in April 2026
Trade unions
- Simplifying the trade union recognition process.
- Electronic and workplace balloting.
Unfair dismissal
Collective redundancy protective award - doubling the maximum period of the protective award to 180 days.
Family friendly rights
Day one rights to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave.
Enforcement
Establishment of the Fair Work Agency to enforce workers’ rights including holiday pay and minimum wage.
Sick pay
Removal of the lower earnings limit and waiting periods for eligibility for statutory sick pay – in effect making statutory sick pay a right from day one of sickness for everyone.
Whistleblowing
Enhanced whistleblowing protections.
In force in October 2026
Trade unions
- Strengthening of trade unions' rights of access to workplaces.
- New rights and protections for trade union representatives.
- Extending protections against detriment for taking industrial action.
- Duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union.
Unfair dismissal
Ban on fire and rehire (although the government has also recently introduced amendments to the Bill to limit the circumstances when the ban will apply).
Harassment
- Requirement for employers to take "all reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
- Obligation on employers not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties.
Enforcement
Extension of tribunal time limits to six months (currently three months in most cases).
Tipping
Tightening of tipping laws.
Procurement
Two-tier procurement code for outsourced public sector workers.
In force in December 2026
The Mandatory Seafarers Charter is expected to commence in December 2026.
In force in 2027
Trade unions
- Strengthening protections against blacklisting.
- Industrial relations framework.
Unfair dismissal
- Day one right to protection from unfair dismissal.
- New collective redundancy consultation threshold (exact threshold is to be confirmed in regulations).
Zero hours
- Protections for zero hours and low hours workers and agency workers, including the duty to offer guaranteed hours contracts, provide reasonable notice of shifts and pay compensation for cancelled, moved or curtailed shifts.
- Regulation of umbrella companies.
Equal Pay and reporting
Requirement for employers to produce equality action plans, covering the steps they are taking to address their gender pay gap and support employees going through menopause.
Family friendly rights
- Increased rights for pregnant workers.
- Day one right to bereavement leave.
- Introduction of reasonableness requirement to refuse flexible working requests.
Harassment
Introduction of the power for regulations to be made specifying what steps are to be regarded as reasonable to determine whether an employer has taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.
Government launches review of parental leave and pay
As part of its “Plan to Make Work Pay”, the Government launched a review of parental leave and pay on 1 July. The 18-month review (concluding in January 2027) aims to simplify the current complex system and address the low uptake of shared parental and paternity leave. The comprehensive review will examine all existing and future parental leave entitlements, including maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, and other forms of parental leave and pay. Information will be gathered from parents, employers and experts. The published terms of reference detail the objectives of the parental leave and pay system that the review will use as a benchmark for assessment of the current system. An initial call for evidence, open from 1 July to 26 August 2025, is seeking views on these objectives and how they relate to the current parental leave and pay entitlements.
For a comprehensive understanding of the above, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
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