2026–27 reform tracker01
Employment Rights Act: what changes when?
Royal Assent is the start of the story. Separate the Act, commencement dates and the policies you need to update.
Phased implementation2 min
The legal desk
The rules. And what’s changing.
Employment-law foundations and selected reforms. Great Britain is the default; Northern Ireland and UK-wide matters are labelled separately.
The change tracker
Checked 20 September 2026Selected changes only. Future dates must be rechecked against official commencement and transitional rules.
For a live employment issue, check current official guidance and obtain appropriate advice. Internal processes do not necessarily extend legal deadlines.
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Pay & absence02
Statutory sick pay after April 2026
The earnings threshold and waiting days changed. Eligibility and payroll calculations still need careful checking.
In force2 min
Working arrangements03
Handling flexible-working requests
A day-one right to request is not an automatic right to a particular working pattern. Consultation matters.
Current framework2 min
Restructuring04
Collective redundancy: start with consultation
A restructuring timetable must leave room for meaningful consultation before decisions become irreversible.
Current rules; award increased2 min
Ending employment05
Unfair, wrongful and automatically unfair dismissal
Different claims protect different interests. Short service does not mean an employee has no rights.
Current rules + forthcoming reform2 min
Employee relations06
Fair disciplinary and grievance processes
A fair process gives people a genuine opportunity to understand, respond and challenge—not just a sequence of forms.
Current statutory code2 min
Equality & inclusion07
Discrimination at work: the core distinctions
Understand different routes to discrimination risk instead of assuming equal treatment always means identical treatment.
Current framework2 min
Disability & inclusion08
Reasonable adjustments: remove the barrier
Start with the disadvantage in the work environment, then agree and review a practical response.
Current duty2 min
Family leave09
Paternity leave and pay are different questions
Check leave eligibility, notice and statutory pay separately when updating family-friendly policies.
Day-one leave right in force2 min
Working time & pay10
Holiday entitlement: get the working pattern right
Begin with the person’s working pattern and leave year before choosing a calculation method.
Current framework2 min
Transfers & outsourcing11
TUPE: plan for people as well as the transaction
Identify whether a transfer is covered before making promises about contracts, continuity or the future workforce.
Current framework2 min
Jurisdiction guide12
Northern Ireland: check the jurisdiction first
A UK-wide organisation needs more than a single Great Britain policy with a different address at the top.
Separate legal framework2 min
Law change briefing13
Preparing for the October harassment changes
Review third-party risks and prevention before the next phase of protections takes effect.
Forthcoming2 min
Law change briefing14
Tribunal time limits: a changing deadline landscape
An approaching reform is not a reason to delay action on a current dispute.
Forthcoming; check transition2 min
Employment foundations15
Employment status: look at the relationship
Employee, worker and self-employed labels have consequences—but a label does not settle the legal question.
Current framework2 min