Employers’ Timetable for the Implementation of the Employment Rights Bill

The Roadmap

Ahead of the passing of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government has published its Implementing the Employment Rights Bill: Our Roadmap for Delivering Change. It is intended to give employers time to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and make preparations for the significant changes ahead.

The roadmap confirms that the measures in the Bill will take effect in phases and the plan is that the biggest change - the introduction of day one unfair dismissal rights - will take effect in 2027, not Autumn 2026 as the Government first indicated. Most other changes will take place in April or October 2026.

Timeline for Changes
According to the roadmap, the timetable for the introduction of key changes is:

April 2026

• A day one entitlement to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
• Making statutory sick pay (SSP) available to low earners and ending the three-day waiting period so that it is payable from the first day of sickness absence
• The introduction of a new single enforcement body, the Fair Work Agency (FWA). The FWA will have the power to enforce a range of employment law rights, including the National Minimum Wage, holiday pay and statutory sick pay.

October 2026

• Ban on the practice whereby an employer introduces a change to terms by dismissing and rehiring employees (“fire and rehire”), except in limited circumstances
• Increasing the requirement on employers to prevent sexual harassment to “all” reasonable steps, instead of reasonable steps
• Employers to be held liable if employees are harassed by third parties.  This third-party harassment claim will apply to all types of harassment, not just sexual harassment
• The extension of tribunal time limits from three to six months.

2027

• The introduction of a ‘day one’ right for employees not to be unfairly dismissed
• New guaranteed hours rules for zero- and low-hours employees and agency workers
• Enhanced rights to request flexible working 
• Rules restricting dismissal of pregnant workers
• New statutory right to bereavement leave.

The roadmap makes clear that this timeline is an initial view, which may change following further consultations and taking into account the need for employers to prepare. 

Employment documents will be updated when the timetable for change is confirmed.