Employment Rights Act – what’s changing first?

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has launched a new website, offering practical guidance and support on the changes that the Employment Rights Act will introduce and outlining what businesses can do to get ready.

The website provides details of upcoming changes, including several that come into force from April 2026. These include:

• Statutory Sick Pay – No earnings threshold and no three-day waiting period mean more employees will now qualify.

• Day-one family leave – Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave a right from the first day in a job.

• Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave – A new right for time off following the death of a child’s mother or primary adopter.

• Collective redundancy protections – The protective award for non-compliance is being increased.

• Stronger protections for workers who report sexual harassment.

• A new body called the Fair Work Agency will work to uphold workers’ rights and support businesses with compliance.

The website includes details around how to prepare for changes and a timeline of when further changes will be introduced. It can be found here.

Our recommendation…

In a time of increasing costs, we know that business owners want to minimise outgoings, but there are some expenses that are essential, and good, practical HR advice definitely falls into that category.

The sweeping changes that the Employment Rights Act will bring could cause dramatically negative effects to employers who were simply unaware of the implications. 

Yes, the new website above might be helpful, but in our view, there is simply no replacement for solid HR advice from knowledgeable and practical advisors, who can lead you through the minefield of changes and keep your business safe. 

If you don’t yet have an external HR resource, NOW is the time to get that in place. If you’d like an introduction, please get in touch.