Legislation – Employment Rights Act 2025

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Introduction

Part 1
Employment rights

1 Right to guaranteed hours

2 Shifts: rights to reasonable notice

3 Right to payment for cancelled, moved and curtailed shifts

4 Agency workers: guaranteed hours and rights relating to shifts

5 Collective agreements: contracting out

6 Amendments relating to sections 1 to 5

7 Repeal of Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023

8 Exclusivity terms in zero hours arrangements

9 Right to request flexible working

10 Statutory sick pay in Great Britain: removal of waiting period

11 Statutory sick pay in Great Britain: lower earnings limit etc

12 Statutory sick pay in Northern Ireland: removal of waiting period

13 Statutory sick pay in Northern Ireland: lower earnings limit etc

14 Policy about allocating tips etc: consultation and review

15 Parental leave: removal of qualifying period of employment

16 Paternity leave: removal of qualifying period of employment

17 Ability to take paternity leave following shared parental leave

18 Bereavement leave

19 Review of extent of right to time off for public duties

20 Employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment

21 Harassment by third parties

22 Sexual harassment: power to make provision about “reasonable steps”

23 Protection of disclosures relating to sexual harassment

24 Contractual duties of confidentiality relating to harassment and discrimination

25 Right not to be unfairly dismissed: qualifying period and compensation

26 Dismissal during pregnancy

27 Dismissal following period of statutory family leave

28 Dismissal for failing to agree to variation of contract, etc

Part 2
Other matters relating to employment

29 Collective redundancy: extended application of requirements

30 Collective redundancy consultation: protected period

31 Collective redundancy notifications: ships’ crew

32 Public sector outsourcing: protection of workers

33 Equality action plans

34 Provision of information relating to outsourced workers

35 Duty to keep records relating to annual leave

36 Extension of regulation of employment businesses

37 Guidance about the employment of children on heritage railways

Part 3
Pay and conditions in particular sectors

Chapter 1 School support staff

38 Pay and conditions of school support staff in England

Chapter 2 Social care workers

Social Care Negotiating Bodies

39 Power to establish Social Care Negotiating Body

40 Membership, procedure, etc of Negotiating Body

41 Matters within Negotiating Body’s remit

42 Meaning of “social care worker”

Consideration of matters by Negotiating Body

43 Consideration of matters by Negotiating Body

44 Reconsideration by Negotiating Body

45 Failure to reach an agreement

Giving effect to agreements of Negotiating Body

46 Power to ratify agreements

47 Effect of regulations ratifying agreement

Power of appropriate authority to deal with matters

48 Power of appropriate authority to deal with matters

Guidance etc

49 Guidance and codes of practice

Enforcement

50 Duty of employers to keep records

Agency workers

51 Agency workers who are not otherwise “workers”

Supplementary and general

52 Regulations under section 46 or 48: supplementary

53 Regulations under this Chapter

54 Status of agreements, etc

55 Interpretation of this Chapter

Chapter 3 Seafarers

56 Seafarers’ wages and working conditions

57 International agreements relating to maritime employment

Part 4
Trade unions and industrial action, etc

58 Right to statement of trade union rights

59 Right of trade unions to access workplaces

60 Trade union recognition

61 Political funds: requirement to pass political resolution

62 Requirement to contribute to political fund

63 Deduction of trade union subscriptions from wages in public sector

64 Facilities provided to trade union officials and learning representatives

65 Facilities for equality representatives

66 Facility time: publication requirements and reserve powers

67 Blacklists: additional powers

68 Industrial action ballots: turnout threshold

69 Industrial action ballots: support thresholds

70 Industrial action ballots: information to be included in notices to employers

71 Industrial action ballots: information to be included on voting paper

72 Period after which industrial action ballot ceases to be effective

73 Electronic balloting

74 Notice to employers of industrial action

75 Union supervision of picketing

76 Protection against detriment for taking industrial action

77 Protection against dismissal for taking industrial action

78 Repeal of provision about minimum service levels

79 Annual returns: removal of provision about industrial action

80 Annual returns: removal of provision about political expenditure

81 Removal of powers to enforce requirements relating to annual returns

82 Removal of investigatory powers

83 Powers to be exercised only on application

84 Removal of power to impose financial penalties

85 Removal of power to impose levy

86 Appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal

87 Employment outside Great Britain

88 Regulations subject to affirmative resolution procedure

89 Devolved Welsh authorities

Part 5
Enforcement of labour market legislation

90 Enforcement of labour market legislation by Secretary of State

91 Enforcement functions of Secretary of State

92 Delegation of functions

93 Advisory Board

94 Labour market enforcement strategy

95 Annual reports

96 Power to obtain documents or information

97 Power to enter premises in order to obtain documents, etc

98 Power to enter dwelling subject to warrant

99 Supplementary powers in relation to documents

100 Retention of documents

101 Powers of enforcement officers under Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

102 Offences relating to gangmasters: power to enter premises with warrant

103 Power to give notice of underpayment

104 Calculation of the required sum

105 Period to which notice of underpayment may relate

106 Notices of underpayment: further provision

107 Penalties for underpayment

108 Further provision about penalties

109 Suspension of penalty where criminal proceedings have been brought, etc

110 Appeals against notices of underpayment

111 Withdrawal of notice of underpayment

112 Replacement notice of underpayment

113 Effect of replacement notice of underpayment

114 Enforcement of requirement to pay sums due to individuals

115 Enforcement of requirement to pay penalty

116 Power to bring proceedings in employment tribunal

117 Power to provide legal assistance

118 Recovery of costs of legal assistance

119 Power to request LME undertaking

120 Measures in LME undertakings

121 Duration of LME undertakings

122 Means of giving notice under section 119

123 Power to make LME order on application

124 Applications for LME orders

125 Power to make LME order on conviction

126 Measures in LME orders

127 Further provision about LME orders

128 Variation and discharge of LME orders

129 LME orders: appeals

130 Evidence of authority

131 Warrants

132 Items subject to legal privilege

133 Privilege against self-incrimination

134 Information relating to the intelligence services, etc

135 Disclosure of information

136 Disclosure of information: supplementary provision

137 Restriction on disclosure of HMRC information

138 Restriction on disclosure of intelligence service information

139 Offence of failing to comply with LME order

140 Offence of providing false information or documents

141 Providing false information or documents: national security etc defence

142 Offence of obstruction

143 Power to recover costs of enforcement

144 Offences by bodies corporate

145 Application of this Part to partnerships

146 Application of this Part to unincorporated associations

147 Application of this Part to the Crown and Parliament

148 Abolition of existing enforcement authorities

149 Consequential and transitional provision

150 Meaning of “non-compliance with relevant labour market legislation”

151 Interpretation: general

Part 6
Miscellaneous and general

152 Increase in time limits for making claims

153 Orders and regulations under Employment Rights Act 1996: procedure

154 Power to make consequential amendments

155 Power to make transitional or saving provision

156 Regulations

157 Financial provision

158 Extent

159 Commencement

160 Short title

SCHEDULES

Schedule 1 Agency workers: guaranteed hours and rights relating to shifts

Schedule 2 Consequential amendments relating to sections 1 to 5

Schedule 3 Minor and consequential amendments relating to section 25

Schedule 4 Pay and conditions of school support staff in England

Schedule 5 Seafarers’ wages and working conditions

Schedule 6 Trade union recognition

Schedule 7 Legislation subject to enforcement under Part 5

Schedule 8 Warrants under Part 5: further provision

Schedule 9 Persons to whom information may be disclosed under section 135

Schedule 10 Consequential amendments relating to Part 5

Schedule 11 Transitional and saving provision relating to Part 5

Schedule 12 Increase in time limits for making claims

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Employment Rights Act 2025, Schedule 3. Help about Changes to Legislation

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Schedules

Schedule 3Minor and consequential amendments relating to section 25

Section 25(5)

Employment Rights Act 1996

1

(1)

The Employment Rights Act 1996 is amended as follows.

(2)

In section 92 (right to written statement of reasons for dismissal), in subsection (3), for “two years” substitute “six months”.

(3)

In section 108 (qualifying period of employment), in subsection (3)—

(a)

after paragraph (h) insert—

“(ha)

section 4(3)(b) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (read with any order made under section 4(4) of that Act) applies,”;

(b)

omit paragraphs (k) and (o).

(4)

In section 117 (enforcement of order for reinstatement or re-engagement and compensation), in subsection (2), for “Subject to section 124, the” substitute “The”.

(5)

In section 118 (compensation: general), in subsection (1)(b), omit “124,”.

(6)

In section 123 (compensatory award), in subsection (1), omit “124,”.

(7)

In section 205A (employee shareholders), in subsection (10), for the words from “where” to the end substitute “where—

(a)

the dismissal is by reason of any requirement or recommendation that is referred to in section 64(2), or

(b)

the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for the dismissal is, or relates to, the employee’s political opinions or affiliations.”

(8)

In section 209 (powers to amend Act)—

(a)

in subsection (2)—

(i)

in paragraph (e), omit “section 124(1), (2) and (5),”;

(ii)

in paragraph (j), omit “, 124(2)”;

(b)

in subsection (5), omit “92(3),”.

(9)

In section 226 (rights on termination), in subsection (3), for “, 121 or 124” substitute “or 121”.

(10)

In section 236 (orders and regulations), in subsection (3), omit “124(2),”.

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I1Sch. 3 para. 1 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 159(3)

Employment Relations Act 1999

2

(1)

The Employment Relations Act 1999 is amended as follows.

(2)

In section 34 (indexation of amounts, etc)—

(a)

in subsection (1), omit paragraph (c);

(b)

omit subsections (4) to (4B).

(3)

In section 37, omit subsection (1).

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I2Sch. 3 para. 2 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 159(3)

Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013

3

In the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, omit section 15 (power to increase or decrease limit of compensatory award).

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I3Sch. 3 para. 3 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 159(3)

Coronavirus Act 2020

4

In Schedule 7 to the Coronavirus Act 2020, omit paragraph 17.

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I4Sch. 3 para. 4 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 159(3)

Power to make further consequential amendments

5

(1)

The provision that may be made under section 154 (power to make consequential amendments) by any regulations that amend a relevant provision in consequence of the repeal of section 124 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 by section 25(3) includes (among other things)—

(a)

provision amending section 34 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 for the purpose of applying that section to a relevant sum;

(b)

provision conferring power on the Secretary of State by regulations to vary a relevant limit, in the same manner and to the same extent as the power conferred by section 15 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 to vary the limit imposed by section 124(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (but see sub-paragraph (4));

(c)

provision that is consequential on provision within paragraph (a) or (b).

(2)

For the purposes of this paragraph—

(a)

relevant provision” means—

(i)

a provision listed in sub-paragraph (3), or

(ii)

any other provision that limits the amount of compensation payable by virtue of the provision by reference to the limit imposed by section 124 of the Employment Rights Act 1996;

(b)

relevant sum” means a sum specified in a relevant provision, in consequence of the repeal of that section, for the purposes of limiting the amount of compensation payable by virtue of the provision;

(c)

relevant limit” means a limit on the amount of compensation payable by virtue of a relevant provision that is specified in the provision in consequence of that repeal;

(d)

the reference in sub-paragraph (1)(b) to section 15 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 is a reference to that section as it had effect immediately before the coming into force of paragraph 3.

(3)

The provisions referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(a)(i) (each of which limits the amount of compensation payable by virtue of the provision by reference to the limit imposed by section 124 of the Employment Rights Act 1996) are—

(a)

section 67 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (right not to be unjustifiably disciplined by trade union: remedies for infringement);

(b)

section 140 of that Act (remedies for refusal of employment, etc on grounds related to union membership);

(c)

section 176 of that Act (right not to be excluded or expelled from trade union: remedies);

(d)

paragraph 160 of Schedule A1 to that Act (trade union recognition: enforcement of right not to be subjected to detriment);

(e)

section 49 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (protection from suffering detriment in employment: remedies), so far as relating to subsection (5A), (7), (7A) or (7B) of that section;

(f)

section 24 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (enforcement of right not to be subjected to detriment), so far as relating to employment tribunals in Great Britain;

(g)

section 56 of the Pensions Act 2008 (pension scheme membership: enforcement of right not to be subjected to detriment);

(h)

regulation 4 of the Exclusivity Terms in Zero Hours Contracts (Redress) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/2021) (enforcement of right not to be subjected to detriment);

(i)

regulation 9 of the Exclusivity Terms for Zero Hours Workers (Unenforceability and Redress) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1145) (enforcement of right not to be subjected to detriment).

(4)

The power that may be conferred by provision made by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(b) includes power to specify different amounts in relation to different descriptions of persons by whom compensation is payable by virtue of a relevant provision.

(5)

The power to make regulations under section 154 is to be regarded as including power to make provision amending section 49(7A) or (7B) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, as inserted by paragraph 13 of Schedule 2, in consequence of the repeal of section 124 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 regardless of whether that repeal comes into force before or after the day on which that paragraph is brought into force for any purpose.

Annotations:
Commencement Information

I5Sch. 3 para. 5 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 159(3)