New employment rights: Guidance for businesses and workers

Since February 2026, upgraded employment rights have begun to take effect.

These changes are being introduced gradually across 2026 and 2027, giving employers time to prepare and ensuring workers have clear information about their new rights.

Whether you're an employer preparing for these changes or a worker wanting to understand your rights, you'll find guidance and support here.

This site will be updated regularly, so please check back for the most up-to-date information.

Changes introduced in February 2026:

• Trade Union Measures: Simpler requirements for trade unions, including in relation to industrial action.

Changes introduced in April 2026:

• Statutory Sick Pay: More employees qualify, with no earnings threshold and no three-day waiting period.
• Day-one family leave: Employees are entitled to Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave from the first day in a new job.
• Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave: New right to time off following the death of a child's mother or primary adopter.
• Collective redundancy protections: Increase to the protective award for non-compliance.
• Whistleblowing protections: Stronger protections for workers who report sexual harassment.
• Simpler enforcement through the Fair Work Agency: A new body to uphold workers' rights and support businesses with compliance.
• Holiday pay records: Employers are required to keep adequate records to show they have complied with holiday pay and entitlement rules. These records need to be retained for 6 years from the date they were made.
• Action plans: Employers with 250 or more employees are encouraged to publish the steps they are taking to reduce their gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause.

Changes to unfair dismissal protections will be introduced on 1 January 2027, but may require action now including reviewing employment policies. This site explains what actions you may need to take.

Further changes will be introduced across 2026 and 2027, including changes to trade union legislation and reforms to protect employees against harassment. This site will be updated with more guidance in due course.