Employment
Joanne Leach
July 2025
With the upcoming Employment Rights Bill progressing towards Royal Assent, Senior Associate Joanne Leach examines the key preparations employers and businesses should consider to ensure their workplace policies are both compliant and productive.
Joanne’s comments were published in ICAEW Insights, 28 July 2025, and can be found here.
“The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) will introduce sweeping reforms to UK employment law, when it becomes law, with phased implementation beginning when the Bill receives royal assent (likely to be in Autumn 2025) and gathering pace in April 2026, through to 2027.
“The Employment Rights Bill is the most comprehensive reform of UK employment law in a generation. For many employers, this won’t just be a policy update – it will require a cultural shift.
“The phased rollout gives employers time, but not an excuse to delay. Reviewing contracts, policies and training now will save significant disruption later.
“One of the biggest risks is inconsistency: applying new rules unevenly across teams or locations could open the door to discrimination claims.
“Handled well, implementation of these reforms could enhance retention, improve transparency, and position businesses as employers of choice. Implementation of the ERB won’t be just about compliance – it will be an opportunity to future-proof workforce strategy.
“The new right to request predictable hours will require a rethink for sectors reliant on casual labour but it also offers a chance to build more stable, engaged workforces.
“Agency workers will see meaningful gains in transparency and protection. Employers must ensure these workers are not overlooked in compliance planning.”
If you would like more advice on the changes brought by this Bill and your obligations as an employer, please contact our Employment team
