The Employment Rights Act

We know you’ve been preparing for the Employment Rights Act 2025. But is the rest of your team equipped with the knowledge they need?

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Are you and your team ready for the Employment Rights Act?

We know many leaders have been preparing for the ERA for a while. But with some reforms already live, there’s no time to rely on outdated policies or payroll settings.

Missing a small detail could still create compliance risks, costly mistakes and disruption for your organisation.

Our mini guide serves as a final checklist to make sure you’re ready for everything that’s coming, but it’s also a great tool to build up awareness for everyone else in your organisation too. Don't let managers tell you they didn’t know after a blunder, protect yourself and them!

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Around 6.3 million employees could benefit from the reforms

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The biggest changes for employers:

Unfair dismissal

From 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal will reduce to six months. Day one protections against discrimination and automatically unfair dismissal already apply. Clear HR processes and accurate records will be more important than ever.

Sick pay

SSP changed on 6 April 2026. The waiting period and Lower Earnings Limit have been removed, so eligible employees can receive SSP from the first full day of sickness absence. For employers, this means checking payroll settings and keeping absence records accurate.

Family leave

Day one paternity leave and unpaid parental leave began on 6 April 2026. Further protections for pregnant employees and new mothers are expected during 2027. Businesses need HR systems that track leave accurately and flag obligations automatically to stay compliant without adding administrative burden.

Zero-hour contracts

Workers on these contracts will gain new rights, like the right to request a contract reflecting their regular hours. For businesses that rely on flexible labour, this means reviewing current arrangements, updating contracts and building new processes.

Flexible working

Now a right from day one of employment. Employers can still decline requests, but only on statutory grounds and must respond within two months. Having a clear, consistent flexible working policy, will be essential to staying compliant and avoiding disputes.

Download the Employment Rights Act Guide

HR teams across the country have been preparing, but can you say the same about everyone in your organisation? Are all your managers ready for the transition, and know what’s expected of them? What about your tech?

If you’ve got any doubts at all, this mini guide is for you. Simple to digest, it’s packed with information to give everyone a better understanding of what’s coming, including a roadmap for when each new piece of legislation is expected to roll out.

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29 September 2026 | Blog | 5 min read

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