The Employment Rights Act 2025 are the biggest reforms to workplace rights in a generation. Jane van Zyl, CEO, Working Families, explores what it means for your business.
The updating of existing legislation and introduction of new rights is designed to give greater job security and ensure fairness in the workplace. For employers, it is an opportunity to create a resilient and sustainable workforce that is fit for the future.
As a charity with over 30 years’ experience in supporting employers, Working Families knows what it takes to implement effective family-friendly working so that people and businesses thrive. Here, we break down the key changes, which came into effect from 6th April, that will impact parent and carers in your workplace, and practical tips to make sure you’re ready for the changes.
Bereaved Partners Leave
Fathers or partners will be permitted to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave if the child’s mother or primary carer dies within the first year of birth or adoption.
Paternity Leave
Paternity leave becomes a day one right. However, the service requirement for statutory paternity pay remains unchanged.
Paternity leave can be taken after a period of shared parental leave.
Unpaid Parental Leave
Parents will be entitled to take unpaid parental leave from day one in employment.
Equality Action Plans
Large organisations of over 250 employees will be asked to voluntarily provide an action plan alongside their gender pay gap report to identify how they intend to reduce the gender pay gap, and how they will support employees going through the menopause. These will become compulsory in 2027.
Establishment of the Fair Work Agency
The Fair Work Agency will bring together current enforcement bodies responsible for matters such as statutory sick pay, national minimum wage, holiday pay, agency workers’ rights and modern slavery.
Statutory Sick Pay
Statutory sick pay (SSP) will be paid from the first day of illness, instead of the fourth day. The lower earnings limit (currently £125 per week) will be removed before employees are entitled to SSP meaning that workers will be entitled to SSP regardless of income levels.
Collective redundancy protective award
The maximum ‘protective award’ for failure to consult in collective redundancy will double from 90 days’ pay to 180 days’ pay.
Preparing for change
Review your policies
New legislation is a good time to take a fresh look at the policies already in place. Which policies are working well, which need strengthening, and where are the gaps?
To be an employer who is ahead of the curve, think beyond the minimum requirements, asking not just whether policies are legally compliant, but whether they are genuinely inclusive, practical and easy to use for everyone.
Getting some guidance on this, for example with a policy review from Working Families, can make sure policies move from compliance to best practice, and support employees and managers in the day-to-day, as well as staying ahead of changes.
Invest in line managers
Line managers are the bridge between policy and practice, so equipping them with the right training and tools is essential.
When managers genuinely understand new legislation and how to apply it, conversations with employees become more meaningful and consistent. Simple resources like checklists can ensure dialogue is effective, particularly when supporting employees through periods of change.
Ask your people
Your employees are your most valuable source of insight. Organisations that actively seek out feedback, through pulse surveys, focus groups or regular one-to-ones, are far better placed to build policies that work in the real world. Make sure listening isn’t a one-off exercise – go back to employees once changes are in place to see what’s working and what needs work.
Learn from others
There’s no need to start from scratch. Looking at how other organisations have approached similar challenges can spark ideas and show what is achievable.
Case studies, such as those available to Working Families members, are particularly useful for understanding what worked and how obstacles were navigated along the way.
Promote your good work
If you have already put good support in place, don’t let it go unnoticed. Use this as a moment to remind employees what is available and, just as importantly, to explain the thinking behind it.
Organisations that communicate the why, not just the what, build cultures where employees feel genuinely valued.
Communicate who you are
Rather than treating policy updates as a compliance exercise, use them as an opportunity to say something meaningful about the kind of employer you are.
Share employee stories, weave the message into regular communications, and mark national awareness moments to bring policies to life. When organisations celebrate progress openly, it encourages uptake and sends a clear signal about what they stand for.
Helping you prepare
Working Families are on hand to make sure your organisation is well prepared to get the most out of the upcoming changes.
Our expert-led interactive sessions provide an introduction to progressive practices, as well as guidance, practical tips so that you can make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to ways of working.
And our membership provides exclusive, forward-thinking content and services tailored to your organisation’s needs, so you can be sure you’re putting your people first. Get in touch with one of our team: employers@workingfamilies.org.uk
Working Families is a charity on a mission to remove the barriers that people with caring responsibilities face in the workplace. We provide free legal advice to parents and carers on their rights at work. We give employers the tools they need to support their employees while creating a flexible, high-performing workforce. And we advocate on behalf of the UK’s working parents and carers, influencing policy through campaigns informed by ground-breaking research.
