Employment Rights Act 2025

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Demystifying the Employment Rights Act 2025

Employment Rights Act 2025 timeline

The Employment Rights Act 2025 "will represent the biggest upgrade in employment rights for a generation". The Act introduces a wide range of reforms that will impact employers and HR professionals.

This content hub brings together all our latest articles, podcasts, and insights to help you stay informed and prepared. Whether you're looking for a summary of the Employment Rights Act 2025, updates on the Act's implementation timeline, or expert commentary on key issues like fire and rehire, day one rights, and collective redundancy consultation, you’ll find it all here.

As the Act progresses through its phased rollout, we’ll continue to provide timely updates and practical guidance. Explore the content below to understand what these changes mean for you and your organisation.

Employment Rights Act 2025 timeline

18 December 2025 - Royal Assent +

The government's power to set minimum services levels in essential services during strikes was repealed. Relevant parts of the Trade Union Act 2016 – which imposed limitations on strike action such as longer notice periods, restrictions on picketing and expiry of industrial action mandates after six months – were repealed automatically two months after royal assent without further consultation i.e. 18 February 2026.

April 2026 +

Doubling collective redundancy protective award, whistleblowing protection for sexual harassment, "day one" rights for statutory paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, changes to SSP, introduction of requirement to keep holiday pay records, and measures simplifying trade union recognition came into force on 6 April. Fair Work Agency established on 7 April.

August 2026 +

Workplace and electronic balloting measures came into force on 25 August.

October 2026 +

Extension of tribunal time limits to 6 months came into force on 1 October. Extension of duty to prevent sexual harassment to third parties and requirement to take all reasonable steps, protections against industrial action detriment, prevention of unfair practices in trade union recognition, and new trade union right to access workplaces all expected to come into force on 30 October.

January 2027 +

Six months service required for unfair dismissal protection and unlimited unfair dismissal compensation, and duty to inform workers of right to join a union expected to come into force.

March 2027 +

Restrictions on fire and rehire, and gender pay gap and menopause action plans for public authorities expected to come into force.

April 2027 +

Collective redundancy consultation threshold changes, bereavement leave (including for pregnancy loss), extended protection from blacklisting, and gender pay gap and menopause action plans for private and voluntary sector employers expected to come into force.

September 2027 +

Prohibition on non-disclosure agreements relating to workplace discrimination and harassment expected to come into force.

October 2027 +

Enhanced dismissal protection for pregnant employees and new mothers, and changes to flexible working expected to come into force.

Timing still TBC +

Zero and low hours contracts measures, regulations specifying examples of reasonable steps to prevent harassment, and lowering of required percentage threshold for trade union recognition.

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Webinar: The Employment Rights Act 2025's trade union and industrial relations measures

In this 45-minute webinar, partners Nick Chronias and Philip Harman cover the measures that came into effect at Royal Assent and those effective from 18 February this year. We also look at the changes making the statutory recognition process easier, explore what employers will need to do to inform workers of their right to join a trade union and give unions access to workplaces ahead of their implementation in October this year, and consider what employers can do to prepare for the changes.

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