Keeping you in the Know
Employment Law Hub
Employment Law
Keeping you in the know
Changing social and political mindsets means employment law never stands still.
Changing social and political mindsets means employment law never stands still. In the next year, the UK will have important updates that will affect your business, mostly driven by the Employment Rights Act 2025. These changes will impact hiring, contracts, employee rights, and worker conditions. As an employer, staying ahead of these changes is key to protecting your business and supporting your workforce.
As one of the UK’s leading recruitment partners, we’ve created this Hub to help you cut through the noise with clear, practical guidance on employment law that you can rely on. No jargon, no fluff, no guesswork – just the information you need to stay compliant, support your workforce and have confidence in your decisions.
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What's changing?
From April 6th 2026, the employment law reforms are likely to impact the following areas for your business:
Worker Rights and Protections
Employers will need to stay on top of updates to minimum wage regulations, redundancy rights and unfair dismissal protections.
Flexibility and Remote Working
With growing demand for flexibility, new regulations will impact employees' rights to request remote or hybrid working arrangements from day one.
Holiday Pay and Working Hours
Recent legal shifts will impact how holiday entitlement and pay are calculated, particularly for workers with variable hours.
Equality and Discrimination
Updates in equality legislation are likely to introduce stricter requirements for diversity, inclusion and workplace fairness. In addition, legislation being introduced in April 2026 will create changes in parental leave.
Keep up-to-date
The Latest Employment Law Update News
Need Support? Let's talk
We get it. Understanding and implementing employment law changes can be complex, especially when a high volume of updates is coming through. That’s why Meridian is here to help. Whether you need guidance on compliance, policy updates or best practice, get in touch with our team today. You can also sign up for our newsletter or join our LinkedIn community, Meridian Recruitment Matters, for the most up-to-date information and advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re trying to understand how the new Employment Rights Act 2025 affects your business or simply looking for clear explanations, you’re in the right place. We’ve pulled together answers to the questions we hear most often, so you can feel confident navigating the changes ahead.
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Left Accordion
Check out our blog for an overview of the changes launching on 6th April 2026.
What is the Employment Rights Act 2025?
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is a major reform package that updates UK employment law across 2026–2027. It includes new day‑one rights, changes to sick pay, strengthened enforcement, expanded family leave rights, and a phased shift in unfair dismissal rules.
What changes are confirmed for April 2026?
From April 2026, confirmed changes include:
- Day‑one paternity leave
- Day‑one unpaid parental leave
- Day‑one Statutory Sick Pay, with waiting days removed and no Lower Earnings Limit
- Stronger whistleblowing protections
- Launch of the Fair Work Agency
- Higher collective redundancy protective awards (up to 180 days’ pay)
For more information and examples, check out our blog.
What are the new day‑one employment rights?
Employees will gain day‑one entitlement to:
- Paternity leave
- Unpaid parental leave
- Statutory Sick Pay
- The right to request flexible working (supported by wider flexible working consultations)
What is the Fair Work Agency and what will it do?
The Fair Work Agency will bring together the HMRC National Minimum Wage enforcement team, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), and The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EASI).
From April 2026, the Fair Work Agency will begin overseeing compliance with employment rights, including sick pay, minimum wage, and holiday pay. It will have powers to investigate and issue penalties, strengthening enforcement across the UK labour market.
What are the new rules on collective redundancy?
The maximum protective award for failure to conduct proper collective redundancy consultation increases from 90 to 180 days’ pay per affected employee.
How should employers prepare for the upcoming reforms?
Employers should:
- Update policies on sickness, leave, and flexible working
- Review HR and payroll systems for day‑one rights
- Prepare for stricter enforcement under the Fair Work Agency
- Assess supply‑chain and scheduling processes to manage compensation and compliance risks
- Begin planning now to avoid last‑minute operational strain
- Reach out to your local Meridian branch or contact us for support with any of the upcoming changes
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Right Accordion
Most changes begin on 6th April 2026, with additional reforms coming into effect throughout late 2026 and January 2027. The government intentionally phased the rollout to give employers time to prepare.
When do the Employment Rights Act changes come into force?
Most changes begin on 6th April 2026, with additional reforms coming into effect throughout late 2026 and January 2027. The government intentionally phased the rollout to give employers time to prepare.
What Employment Rights Act changes are expected later in 2026 and 2027?
Expected future changes include:
- Enhanced employer duty to prevent sexual harassment (October 2026)
- Third‑party harassment liability
- Restrictions on “fire and rehire” practices (2027)
- Reduction of unfair dismissal qualifying period to six months (January 2027)
- Removal of the unfair dismissal compensation cap (January 2027)
How is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) changing?
Stautory Sick Pay will:
- Be payable from the first day of absence
- No longer require employees to meet the Lower Earnings Limit
- Be calculated as 80% of weekly earnings or the statutory SSP rate, whichever is lower
How do whistleblowing protections change?
The Employment Rights Act 2025 extends protections for workers who report sexual harassment, ensuring they are safeguarded from detriment or unfair dismissal when making these types of disclosures.
What are the new obligations around shift‑cancellation compensation?
The Employment Rights Act introduces new requirements for compensating workers when shifts are cancelled with little notice, under the zero-hours contract reforms. Agencies will have clearer mechanisms for recovering these costs from clients once detailed regulations are published. (Supported by ongoing consultations.)
Where can employers get official guidance?
Employers can access guidance through:
GOV.UK updates and consultations – including timelines, policy papers, and active consultations related to the Employment Rights Act.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-the-plan-to-make-work-pay-and-employment-rights-act/plan-to-make-work-pay-and-employment-rights-act-timeline-updateAcas webinars, newsletters, and masterclasses – offering practical training and early guidance on upcoming changes, including day‑one rights and industrial relations updates.
https://www.acas.org.uk/employment-rights-act-2025The Fair Work Agency (once operational) – the new enforcement body that will publish compliance guidance, reports and employer support material once launched.
