The recent flurry of activity on the employment law reforms being introduced under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) continues today with the publication of a new consultation on regulations to prevent the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace harassment or discrimination. The consultation closes on 8 July 2026. This is the […]
The government has published its response to consultation on strengthening the right of trade unions to access workplaces, which is due to come into force in October 2026. The government will introduce a statutory right of access for independent trade unions to engage with workers in person or digitally for the purposes of representation, support,
Amongst the sweeping changes to UK employment law under the Employment Rights Act (ERA), employers could be forgiven for having overlooked the new duty to keep records relating to annual leave. The duty was not even referred to in the government’s timetable for implementation of the ERA but was brought into force with effect from
April traditionally marks the implementation of notable updates in employment law, and this year is no exception. Key provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 come into force this month, accompanied by annual revisions to statutory rates and limits. 1 April 2026 From 1 April 2026, the National Minimum Wage will increase, with the rate
Employment Rights Act: Preparing for change: April changes coming into force Read More »
Protection of employees from harassment, and sexual harassment in particular, has been a dynamic area in recent times and a clear area of focus for the current government. In October 2024, the new duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace took effect, imposing wide-ranging and onerous obligations on employers to
Following the Employment Rights Act (ERA) receiving royal assent late last year, early 2026 has already seen some further activity in relation to the Act’s provisions on contractual change. The Government’s revised timetable for ERA implementation has moved commencement of the so-called ‘fire and rehire’ provisions from October 2026 to 1 January 2027, tying in
Employment Rights Act: Preparing for change: Contract change update and action points Read More »
When the Employment Rights Bill was published in October 2024, the headline measure was the proposal to make unfair dismissal a ‘day 1 right’ by removing the qualifying period. At the 11th hour a series of defeats in the House of Lords forced the government to U-turn on that proposal. Instead, the qualifying period for
Employment Rights Act: Preparing for change: The impact of changes to unfair dismissal Read More »
The government has taken another step forward in implementing key provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 with the publication of employer guidance on creating action plans for both gender pay gaps and the menopause. From April 2026, large employers with 250 or more employees will be encouraged to publish the steps that they are
On 26 February the government published two further consultation papers on the implementation of aspects of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA): Make Work Pay: threshold for triggering collective redundancy obligations consultation and Make Work Pay: protection from detriments for taking industrial action. Collective consultation threshold In addition to retaining the existing trigger for collective
On 18 February, the first major measures of the Employment Rights Act (ERA) come into force. The ERA repeals the majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 and significantly relaxes the requirements of the process for organising industrial action. For industrial action ballots opening on or after 18 February, the ERA simplifies requirements on trade unions in
**Update** Restrictions on the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace harassment or discrimination will come into force in 2027. **Update** The obligation on employers to keep records that are ‘adequate to show’ compliance with obligations in relation to annual leave will come into force on 6 April 2026. On 3 February the government published a
Employment Rights Act: Preparing for change: Revised timetable for implementation Read More »
The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, becoming the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA). When the ERB was first laid before parliament in October 2024, it was promoted as ‘the most extensive overhaul of workers’ rights in generations’. Wide-ranging amendments were made in both the House of Commons and House