Unpacking the Employment Rights Act: risks, changes and opportunities

In this episode of the Employment Law Pod, partners Andrew Whitaker and Helen Goss unpack one of the most significant shake-ups to UK employment law in decades: the Employment Rights Act.

With the Act now in force and many changes being phased in through 2026 and 2027, Andy and Helen explore what we know so far, what remains uncertain, and what employers should be thinking about now.

They discuss the headline reforms, including the reduction of the unfair dismissal qualifying period to six months, the proposed removal of the compensation cap, changes to statutory sick pay, collective redundancy rules, trade union law, fire and rehire, and zero-hours contracts. 

Importantly, this episode doesn’t just focus on risk. Andy and Helen take a balanced view, using their famous Venn diagram thinking to explore whether there are genuine positives for both employers and employees, from improved workforce engagement and retention to a more level playing field across sectors.