New employment rights? Your quick guide to the key changes

Rachel Ford-Evans
Mar 25
2 min read

Written by Rachel Ford-Evans, Employment Law Partner, Darwin Gray

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of what could be on the horizon in the next 12 months with the impending Employment Rights Bill, you’re not alone.

Since the announcement of the Bill, I’ve spoken to numerous employers and HR practitioners about what it will cover and how it will shape the future of the workplace for both employers and employees.

As we hurtle through 2026, there are a number of key changes in the Bill that will significantly impact employers. However, the good news is - you can prepare!

Key changes

The great thing about the Employment Rights Bill being such a hot topic in the news is that we know exactly what it contains and when we can expect the various changes to come into force.

Starting with the earliest expected changes, the biggest reforms are currently:

April 2026: changes to paternity leave, parental leave, and statutory sick pay, new whistleblower protections, and new requirements to keep records of annual leave.
October 2026: end to fire and rehire, strengthened duties around third-party harassment, sexual harassment, changes to TUPE, longer time limits for bringing Employment Tribunal claims, new obligations around trade union membership.
2027: day 1 rights to claim unfair dismissal, changes to equality action plans, changes to statutory bereavement leave, new rights to guaranteed hours for zero-hour workers, changes to collective redundancy rules, extending protection against dismissal for pregnant employees and new parents.
Still subject to consultation: right to equal pay relating to disability and ethnicity, wider changes to parental leave.

How you can prepare

In a recent People People Expert Insights session, my colleague and I shared practical things employers can do to prepare for the changes. During this session, it struck me that: those who already have the basics in place will be fine. However, you need to make sure you keep your finger on the pulse!

With some auditing and strengthening of your contracts, policies and manager training, this will put you in good stead when the phases of reforms come into force. You can then create a clear plan for phased updates and keep your people managers updated and trained on what’s coming from April 2026 onwards.

Key takeaway

With thoughtful preparation and a focus on building strong foundations, employers can navigate the Employment Rights Bill smoothly, and even use these changes as a springboard to enhance fairness, consistency, and good practice across their organisations.