WHLabour is proud of this Labour Government’s Employment Rights Bill (2025).
It has given workers across the UK the biggest change to their employment rights in a generation.
New rights include protection from unfair dismissal rights from six months, a ban on exploitative zero-hour contracts, day-one rights for sick pay and paternity leave, and mandatory gender equality/menopause action plans.
The changes that have come into effect this year are summarised below:
Measures that took effect on 18 February 2026
- the repeal of the great majority of the Trade Union Act 2016, thereby simplifying requirements on trade unions, including in relation to industrial action and political funds
- removing the 10-year ballot requirement for trade union political funds
- simplifying industrial action notices and industrial action ballot notices
- protections against dismissal for taking industrial action
- employees that are newly eligible for ‘Day 1’ Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave can give notice
Measures that took effect on 1 April 2026
- the repeal of the levy that trade unions and employer associations pay to the Certification Officer
Measures that took effect on 6 April 2026
- collective redundancy protective award – doubling the maximum period of the protective award
- ‘Day 1’ Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave
- whistleblowing – strengthening protections for workers who ‘blow the whistle’ on sexual harassment
- Bereaved Partners’ Paternity Leave – (non-MWP measure) will enable bereaved fathers and partners to take up to 52 weeks of paternity leave if the mother or primary adopter dies within the first year of the child’s life
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) – removing the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) and waiting period
- action plans on gender equality and supporting employees through the menopause (voluntary)
- menopause guidance
- simplifying trade union recognition process