The Employment Rights Act represents the most significant overhaul of employment law in a generation. With changes being introduced in phases, employers should act early to assess impacts, review policies and plan ahead.
Early preparation will be essential to managing risk, maintaining compliance and supporting your workforce through the transition. Use the timeline below to identify upcoming milestones and ensure your organisation is ready for the changes ahead.
Ready for the next ERA
Discuss training options and compliance audits available to help your organisation navigate the changes. Request a call back from one of our dedicated experts:
Royal Assent - December 2025
Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023
18 February 2026
Trade union reforms and stronger workplace rights take effect, including easier industrial action processes and expanded family leave entitlements.
View more...Repealing most of the Trade Union Act 2016 (some provisions will be repealed via commencement order at a later date)
Removing the 10-year ballot requirement for trade union political funds
Simplifying industrial action notices and industrial action ballot notices
Protection against dismissal for taking industrial action
Employees that are newly eligible for ‘Day 1’ Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave can give notice
View less...6 April 2026
Major boost to worker protections and family support, with enhanced leave rights, stronger whistleblowing safeguards, and expanded sick pay coverage.
View more...Collective redundancy protective award, doubling the maximum period of the protective award
‘Day 1’ Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave
Whistle blowing: Strengthening protections for workers who ‘blow the whistle’ on sexual harassment
Bereaved Partners’ Paternity Leave (non-MWP measure) will enable bereaved fathers and partners to take up to 52 weeks of paternity leave if the mother or primary adopter dies within the first year of the child’s life
Statutory Sick Pay: Removing the Lower Earnings Limit and waiting period
Voluntary action plans on gender equality and supporting employees through the menopause
Menopause guidance
Simplifying trade union recognition process
View less...7 April 2026
Establishment of the Fair Work Agency
August 2026
Electronic and workplace balloting for statutory trade union ballots
October 2026
A new era of workplace accountability and union empowerment, introducing tougher anti-harassment duties and expanded collective worker rights.
View more...Requirement for employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees
Requirement for employers not to permit the harassment of their employees by third parties
Introducing a power to enable regulations to specify steps that are to be regarded as ‘reasonable’, to determine whether an employer has taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment
New rights and protections for trade union representatives
Duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade
Strengthening of trade unions' rights of access to workplaces
Two-tier procurement code for outsourced public sector workers
Bringing forward regulations to establish the Fair Pay Agreement Adult Social Care Negotiating Body in England
Tightening tipping law
Strengthening trade unions’ right of access
Unfair practices in the trade union recognition process
Extending protections against detriments for taking industrial action
Employment Tribunal time limits
View less...1 January 2027
Significant overhaul of dismissal protections, making unfair dismissal claims easier to bring and restricting controversial firing practices.
View more...Reduction of unfair dismissal qualifying period to 6 months (for dismissals from 1 January 2027) and uncapping compensatory awards
Fire and rehire protections
View less...2027
The next phase of employment reform, delivering greater job security, workplace equality, family leave rights, and protections for atypical workers.
View more...Mandatory action plans on gender equality and supporting employees through the menopause
Increased rights for pregnant workers not to be dismissed for other reasons (than the existing reason of redundancy) specifying steps that are to be regarded as ‘reasonable’, to determine whether an employer has taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment
Extending blacklisting protections
Industrial relations framework
Regulation of umbrella companies
New collective redundancy consultation threshold
Changes to flexible working
Day-1 right to bereavement leave including pregnancy loss
Non-disclosure agreements: regulations to prevent the misuse of NDAs in cases of workplace harassment or discrimination
Ending the exploitative use of zero-hours contracts: Duty to offer guaranteed hours contracts, provide reasonable notice of shifts and pay compensation
Electronic and workplace balloting for recognition and derecognition ballots
View less...Looking for more ERA 2025 support?
Our ERA hub helps you navigate the changes with confidence, giving you clear insight, closing gaps, and ensuring you’re ready for what’s ahead.
Explore Hub
Your Employment Rights Act 2025 Experts
Get in touch with our Employment experts
Want to learn more about the Employment Rights Act? Contact our experts today.