📢Employment Rights Act – Changes from April 2026
- HRNews
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
With 173 new pieces of Employment Law changing in the next few years, your employees will have new rights and your business is exposed to new risks, so it is essential that you are aware of these changes and when they come into place.
Here's a summary of what's changing:
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) – The Lower Earnings Limit requirement and the three waiting days are being removed. All workers will be entitled to either 80% of their usual earnings or the flat SSP rate (whichever is lower) from day one of absence.
Paternity Leave – The qualifying service requirement is being removed. Employees can take paternity leave from day one of employment, subject to the required notice.
Parental Leave – The qualifying service requirement for unpaid parental leave is also being removed, with entitlement from day one of employment.
Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave – A new right providing up to 52 weeks of leave for fathers and partners whose child's primary carer dies before the child's first birthday, with enhanced redundancy and unfair dismissal protection.
Whistleblowing – Disclosures about sexual harassment will qualify as a protected disclosure. Employees making such disclosures will be protected from detriment and any dismissal for this reason will be automatically unfair.
Probationary Periods – From 01/01/2027, the qualifying service for unfair dismissal claims reduces from two years to six months. A three-month probationary period is recommended to protect your business.
At Lansbury HR, we will ensure your HR documentation is kept up to date, updating your contracts, employee handbook and all other documentation so your business stays compliant.
Get in touch to find out how we can help.
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