📢The Employment Rights Act 2025: Are you ready for April?
- HRNews
- Feb 13
- 2 min read
What’s the news?
The Employment Rights Bill is no longer just a proposal - it became the Employment Rights Act 2025 on 18 December. While many of the 28+ reforms are being phased in, we have officially entered the implementation phase. As of today, rules on minimum service levels during strikes have already been repealed, and the first major wave of changes affecting every employer is now less than eight weeks away.
What are the changes?
The roadmap is now clear, and the most immediate "all-employer" impacts are:
April 2026: Statutory Sick Pay becomes a Day 1 right. The 3-day waiting period is gone, and the Lower Earnings Limit is scrapped—meaning even your lowest earners now qualify.
October 2026: New, stricter duties to prevent sexual harassment, including liability for third-party harassment (clients/customers).
January 2027: The qualifying period for unfair dismissal drops from 2 years to just 6 months. Plus, the statutory cap on compensation is being removed entirely.
What does it mean for you?
This isn't just a "legal update"; it’s a fundamental shift in how you manage your people:
Budgeting: Your sick pay costs will likely rise in April. Ensure your 2026/27 budgets account for "Day 1" payments.
Probation is Critical: With unfair dismissal protection starting at 6 months, your recruitment and onboarding must be watertight. You can no longer afford to let performance issues "wait and see" for a year.
Policy Overhaul: Your handbooks and contracts need a refresh—specifically regarding sick pay eligibility, family leave (now a Day 1 right), and harassment protocols.
The clock is ticking on the April changes. ⏳Is your payroll system ready for the new SSP calculations? Are your managers trained on the new 6-month dismissal threshold? LansburyHR are here to support you - get in touch with our team.
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