Hello PPMA members and friends

This recently published summary from CIPD HR-inform of the Employment Rights Act 2025 outlines one of the most significant overhauls of UK employment law in recent years, with major reforms set to impact both employers and workers. It highlights the key changes and implementation timelines organisations need to be aware of.  This blog post is a synopsis of the article and you can read the full piece:  CIPD_Employment_Rights_Act_Summary 1

The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents one of the most significant overhauls of UK employment law in decades, introducing a broad suite of reforms designed to modernise workplace rights across Great Britain. Based on the official summary of the Act’s provisions, these changes will be phased in from 2026 through 2027 and will fundamentally reshape how employers and workers interact.

A New Era for Workers’ Protections

The Act delivers substantial enhancements in employee rights and protections:

✔ Statutory Sick Pay (SSP):
From April 2026, SSP will be payable from the first day of sickness and to all workers, regardless of earnings level. This replaces the old system where employees needed to meet a lower earnings limit and wait three days before entitlement.

✔ Parental and Paternity Leave:
Parental leave and paternity leave become day one rights — meaning employees qualify for these from their very first day of employment rather than after a qualifying service period.

✔ Fair Work Agency:
A new enforcement body — the Fair Work Agency — will be established to consolidate enforcement of statutory rights, support workers with claims, and act on their behalf in tribunals.

 Major Protections and Employer Obligations

✔ Fire and Rehire Banned in Most Cases:
The Act makes “bullying” fire and rehire practices (sacking an employee only to rehire them on worse terms) automatically unfair in many contexts, with limited exceptions tied to genuine financial necessity.

✔ Stronger Protection from Sexual Harassment:
Employers must now take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment — including harassment by third parties such as clients or customers.

✔ Trade Union Rights:
From the outset, the law widens trade union protections, overturning parts of previous restrictive legislation and strengthening balloting and political fund arrangements. Employers are also required to formally notify employees of their right to join a union.

 Phased Reforms Through 2026 and 2027

The act introduces changes across multiple areas of employment law on a structured timeline:

 October 2026 (major HR responsibilities kick in):

  • Employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

  • Trade union access and information duties begin.

  • Collective bargaining and tipping protections (among others) start moving forward.

  • Time limits for bringing tribunal claims are extended.

 January 2027:

  • The qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection drops from two years to six months.

  • The cap on unfair dismissal compensation is removed, allowing awards to better reflect loss.

  • Bereavement leave rights are expanded for a wider set of circumstances.

  • Flexible working becomes the default unless employers can justify refusal.

 Other 2027 Protections:

  • New rights for zero-hours and low-hours workers (e.g., minimum notice of shift changes and rights to guaranteed hours contracts) are introduced.

  • Large employers will need action plans on gender pay gaps and menopause support.

 What This Means for Employers and Employees

Overall, the Employment Rights Act 2025 marks a transformational shift in UK workplace law. Workers gain greater security, earlier access to key family and health rights, and stronger protections against unfair treatment. Employers must adapt to a more proactive compliance environment, with enhanced enforcement mechanisms and expanded duties — from preventing harassment to facilitating trade union engagement.

CIPD HR-inform are a trusted guidance resource and is available free to all PPMA members!