Government Publishes Employment Rights Bill Roadmap

What does this mean for Schools and Academies?

On 1st July 2025 the Government published a roadmap detailing the anticipated timetable for implementing the key measures of the Employment Rights Bill.

The roadmap is the first time the Government has provided more detailed timescales for commencement, and which allows for a staggered approach, with measures being implemented in 6 monthly intervals, and which will hopefully provide employers with a little bit more time to prepare for the changes.

The roadmap also sets out an anticipated timetable for any necessary consultations on the detail of the measures to come. Following these consultations the Government will produce clear and comprehensive guidance to help organisations navigate the changes.

So what are the implementation dates you need to be aware of and the changes which will be coming into force?

Royal Assent and Shortly After

It is likely the Employment Rights Bill will receive Royal Assent in Autumn 2025, and possibly around October, although no definitive date has been provided.

On Royal Assent the following changes will be made:

• Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 (Reversing rules that compel unions to maintain essential services during industrial action)
• Repeal of the great majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 (Which sets out quite stringent thresholds and heavy notice requirements)
• Removing the 10-year ballot requirement for trade union political fund
• Simplifying industrial action notices and industrial action ballot notices
• New protections against dismissal for employees taking industrial action

April 2026 will see implementation of the following:

• Day‑one rights: paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
• Collective redundancy awards doubled from 90 to 180 days gross pay
• Whistleblowing protections for sexual harassment complaints
• Statutory sick pay reforms (no waiting period or earnings limit)
• Establishment of the Fair Work Agency (will enforce minimum wage, holiday pay, umbrella companies, etc.)
• Simplified trade union recognition, including the introduction of electronic/workplace balloting

October 2026 will see implementation of the following:

• Restrictions on fire-and-rehire
• Duty on employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment
• Liability for third party harassment, in relation to sexual harassment and all protected characteristics
• Employment tribunal deadlines to be extended from 3 to 6 months
• Notification duties (right to join unions), enhanced union access rights
• Mandated tip‑law reforms, two‑tier procurement code, adult social care pay agreements commence

2027 will see the following amendments, albeit no definitive dates have been given as to when each of the below changes will come into effect:

• Day‑one protection against unfair dismissal (removing two‑year qualifying period)
• Guaranteed hours for zero‑hours and low‑hour contracts;
• Flexible working – when rejecting a request an employer will have to demonstrate such rejection was reasonable as well as relying on one of the 8 permitted grounds;
• Introduction of bereavement/bereavement leave;
• Increased pregnancy worker rights;
• Mandatory gender‑pay‑gap and menopause action plans;
• Regulations clarifying "reasonable steps" for harassment prevention;
• Introduction of stronger anti‑blacklisting rules;
• Industrial relations changes;
• Regulation of umbrella companies

Whilst the staggered implementation approach is welcomed, it is important for all employers to be fully aware of the changes and what this will mean for them; as a minimum employers will need to look to be updating their polices/handbooks/contract of employments to reflect the changes, and to ensure all managers, members of the Senior Leadership Team, Governors and Trustees are all trained on the changes, and what this means from an operational, financial and claim perspective.

As well as HR Connect and Legal Connect providing free updates on the changes, we will also be providing a HR Masterclass bespoke training offering for use by our clients to train those relevant individuals on the changes, what this means for your School/Trust and the practical considerations to ensure you are fully complaint with the changes.