The Government has published an updated timeline for implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA), together with a series of factsheets on various measures within the new legislation.

The revised timetable reflects the Government’s previously stated intention to phase in the ERA’s provisions in order to give organisations sufficient time to prepare for their introduction.

A number of measures have been delayed, including those relating to electronic and workplace balloting (from April 2026 to “no earlier than August 2026”), the increase in employment tribunal time limits (from October 2026 to “no earlier than October 2026”), and new fire and rehire measures (from October 2026 to January 2027).

Most of the remaining measures due to take effect this year will be introduced in three phases:

• 18 February 2026: the repeal of much of the Trade Union Act 2016; the coming into force of various measures relating to industrial action; and the point from which employees that are eligible for ‘day one’ Paternity Leave and Unpaid Paternity Leave can give notice;
• 6 April 2026: strengthened protections for whistleblowers of sexual harassment; the doubling of the maximum period of the collective redundancy protective award; the removal of the Lower Earnings Limit and waiting period for Statutory Sick Pay; and the coming into force of Paternity Leave, Unpaid Paternity Leave and Bereaved Parent’s Paternity Leave.
• October 2026: Measures requiring employers to inform their workers of the right to join a union and to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.

Alongside the updated timeline, the Department for Business and Trade has published new factsheets to help businesses, employers, and employees understand how the new regime will operate in practice.

To read the updated timeline, click here. To read the factsheets, click here.