In part two of this update on changes to employment law in Great Britain, the PDA is sharing plans for further improvements to employment rights that will come as a result of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA). To read about the changes which have already been introduced between December 2025 and April 2026, please read part one here.
The PDA reiterates that, though it understands that despite significant promotion of the new government law, not every line manager or HR colleague may grasp the full extent of changes immediately, and it may take some employers a period before they update their staff handbooks/contracts to reflect the new law. However, it is always the law which takes precedence, and so individuals should be treated in accordance with their increased rights in any event.
What will change in THE coming months?
In addition to the changes detailed in part one of this update, the following are also moving towards implementation:
From August 2026
- Trade union members will be able to vote electronically or in person in ballots for industrial action and statutory union elections – currently these must be held through postal ballots, which are both expensive and have a much higher carbon footprint.
- The removal of the requirement for a 50% turnout for industrial action ballots can begin.
From October 2026
Subject to government consultations on the details:
- Employers will be liable for harassment from third parties, for example, customers or clients, unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it from happening – this will apply to all types of harassment.
- Employers will need to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment – current law says, ‘reasonable steps’.
- Time limits for making a claim to an employment tribunal will increase to 6 months for all claims. The current time limit for most claims is 3 months.
- Workers taking part in industrial action will be protected against detriment, in addition to unfair dismissal. ‘Detriment’ is when someone is treated less favourably by their employer.
- To help employees secure a collective voice at work, there will be:
- a new duty for employers to inform workers of their right to join a trade union
- updated rules on a trade union’s right of access to the workplace to talk to workers about the union
- a new right to reasonable accommodation and facilities for trade union representatives carrying out their duties
- a new right to time off for union equality representatives to carry out their duties
- an updated Code of Practice on trade union recognition.
- There will be new measures for public sector outsourcing. This is to avoid having different terms and conditions for ex-public sector employees and private sector employees.
There will also be specific changes relating to the seafaring sector, adult social care sector and sectors where employees receive tips (such as bar staff), but these should not impact pharmacists.
In 2027
- Dismissing someone, then rehiring them on worse terms and conditions, will become an automatically unfair dismissal in most cases. This is sometimes known as ‘fire and rehire’.
- Protection from unfair dismissal will become a right after 6 months of being in a job – currently, someone must have worked for their employer for 2 years before claiming unfair dismissal.
- The limit on the compensatory award for unfair dismissal will be removed.
- It will become mandatory for employers with 250 or more workers to publish action plans around menopause and gender pay gaps.
- Workers on zero-hour and low-hour contracts will get the right to guaranteed working hours if they want them.
- Workers will have the right to be paid if a shift is cancelled, moved to another date, or cut short by an employer.
- Employers must provide reasonable notice of shifts and changes to shifts.
- There will be an amendment to the flexible working law in 2027. If an employer rejects a flexible working request because of a genuine business reason, they will have to:
- state the reasons from a list of 8 acceptable reasons
- explain why they believe their refusal is reasonable.
Doing this is already good practice. But it will become a legal requirement.
- Employers will need to consider the total number of redundancies across their whole organisation, not just individual workplaces – currently, collective redundancy rules only apply to individual workplaces.
- The definition of agencies will be expanded to include ‘umbrella companies’. This will allow enforcement by the relevant bodies.
Paul Day, PDA Union Director, commented: “Having good employment law is essential, but we know from our casework that some employers may try to treat employees in breach of their rights at work. The PDA helps members to understand and exercise their rights at work.
This is why we are helping promote this new legislation. If a member is being treated in breach of current law, or the new law after it is implemented, they should contact their local PDA workplace representative or the PDA member support centre.”
Learn more
- ERA update: improvements to employment rights for pharmacists – part one
- PDA calls on MLAs to support the Good Jobs Bill
- Improved rights at work for PDA members
- PDA Reps meet to discuss Employment Rights Bill
- PDA welcomes Employment Rights Bill
- PDA responds to the Employment Rights Bill omitted from the Queen’s Speech yet again (2022)
- PDA welcomes news that government attempts to restrict workers’ rights has been prevented
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