Checking staff contract terms, increased costs and paperwork are among challenges businesses should brace for, East Midlands Chamber has said, following the release of the government’s ‘roadmap’ for implementation of its Employment Rights Bill.
Measures outlined in the Bill, currently going through Parliament, include removing the lower earnings limit from statutory sick pay; requiring employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of employees; ‘day one’ rights given to employees for parental or paternity leave and protection against unfair dismissal.
The Chamber’s Director of Resources Lucy Robinson comments on what the Employment Rights Bill timeline means for businesses:
Summary of key dates included in the government’s timeline:
From April 2026:
- Day one paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
- Statutory sick pay – lower earnings limit removed
From October 2026:
- ‘Fire and Rehire’ to end
- Employers to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of employees
From 2027:
- Pregnant women and new mothers get ‘enhanced dismissal protections’
- Day 1 protection from unfair dismissal
