Employment Rights Act 2025 Hub

The Employment Rights Act marks one of the biggest changes to workplace rights in a generation. The Act came into force on 18 December 2025, with many of the new rights and protections being introduced in stages over the coming months and years.  

The Act brings in wide-ranging reforms across areas including trade union rights, collective redundancy, fire and rehire, collective bargaining, zero hours contracts, family friendly rights, flexible working, enhanced protections against harassment, the introduction of the Fair Work Agency, statutory sick pay from day one, amended unfair dismissal rights and extended employment tribunal time limits. 

Many of the provisions are subject to further regulations and ongoing consultation exercises. 

This hub brings everything you need to know in one place. It explains what is changing and what it means for trade union members. As the law is implemented, this page will be updated with new guidance, resources, and support to help you understand and use the enhanced rights the Act introduces.

Employment Rights Act - Upcoming Changes

Please find further information on the upcoming changes in the following areas:

• Bereavement Leave
• Collective Bargaining
• Collective Redundancy
• Day 1 Right to Paternity and Unpaid Leave
• Employment Tribunal Time Limits to Increase limits to increased
• Extending the Right to Protection from Dismissal following Pregnancy and other Family Leave
• Fair Work Agency
• Fire and Rehire
• Flexible Working
• Harassment
• Industrial Action
• Non-disclosure Agreements
• Political Funds
• Right Not to be Subject to a Detriment for Participating in Industrial Action
• The Right to be Informed You Can Join a Trade Union
• Statutory Sick Pay
• Trade Union Workplace Access Rights
• Unfair Dismissal
• Voluntary Equality Action Plans
• Zero-Hours Contracts

Upcoming Webinars

As new rights come into force, we will be hosting webinars to explain what the Employment Rights Act means for union members and workers in practice. These sessions will cover key changes, answer common questions, and provide practical guidance on how to understand and use your rights at work. 

Our webinars are designed to be clear, accessible, and focused on the issues that matter most to trade unions and their members.

Thompsons presentation giving broad overview of changes to employment law legislation brought in by the Employment Rights Act 2025

Neil Todd & Jo Seery present a short video on changes to employment law legislation in February and April 2026

Resources

The Government has published official factsheets explaining the Employment Rights Act and the reforms it introduces.

These provide a high-level overview of the law and how it is being implemented. 

Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-rights-bill-factsheets

Please see our Employment Rights Act 2025

Briefing from December 2025:

• Employment Rights Act 2025 Briefing

Briefing from July 2025: 

• Trade Union Law Group Briefing: Section 145B TULR(C)A 1992 Judgment

Consultation Responses

• Make Work Pay: Call for evidence on Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations

• Make Work Pay: Threshold for triggering collective redundancy obligations
• Make Work Pay – Protection from detriments for taking industrial action
• Make Work Pay: fire and rehire – changes to expenses, benefits and shift patterns
• Duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union
• Right of Trade Unions to Access Workplaces
• Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay
• Strengthening remedies against abuse of rules on collective redundancy and fire and rehire
• Draft Code of Practice on Electronic and Workplace Balloting for Statutory Union Ballots
• Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers 
• Creating a modern framework for industrial relations
• The application of zero hours contracts measures to agency workers 

Sign up for the ELR Newsletter

Our Employment Law Review newsletter keeps you up to date with the latest developments and explains what changes to employment and trade union law mean for trade unions and their members. 

By signing up, you will receive clear updates, practical guidance, and information on upcoming webinars and resources as employment rights continue to evolve. 

Help & Guidance

Thompsons Solicitors is proud to be the chosen employment law partner for the UK’s major trade unions and to assist them in providing expert advice and representation to members. 

As a trade union member, you can access employment law advice, guidance and support from your local union representative at any time. They will involve your union’s legal service as necessary. 

Thompsons Solicitors’ employment rights lawyers become involved if the matter cannot be resolved by the union, and the only remedy is a legal one. Our employment rights lawyers only act for trade unions and their members, offering comprehensive employment law advice.