A Year of Reform to Employment Legislation Planned for 2026
2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years for employment law in decades. With reforms due in April and again in October, employers will need to update their policies, contracts, and ways of working to stay compliant.
If you employ staff, these changes could affect you directly – from how you deal with flexible working requests to how you manage sick pay, leave, and contract variations. Preparing now will save you time, cost, and risk later.
1. Flexible Working Becomes the Norm
The right to request flexible working will become far stronger. Instead of staff having to “prove” their case, flexible working will become the default starting point.
What this means for you:
- Requests will need to be handled more quickly.
- If you refuse, you’ll need clear, well-reasoned grounds.
- Poor handling could leave you exposed to disputes.
2. “Fire and Rehire” Is Restricted
From October 2026, employers will find it much harder to change staff contracts by dismissing and re-engaging on new terms. In most cases this will count as unfair dismissal.
For businesses, this means:
- Any contract changes will need careful consultation and agreement.
- Quick fixes or forced changes are no longer an option.
- Getting HR or legal advice before making changes will be essential.
3. Family and Bereavement Leave Expands
From April 2026:
- Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave become day-one rights. New starters will no longer need long service to qualify.
On top of that, the government is expected to introduce stronger bereavement leave rights. As soon as these are approved, many policies and contracts will be out of date overnight.
4. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from Day One
Also from April 2026:
- SSP will be payable from the first day of absence (no waiting days).
- The earnings threshold will be scrapped, meaning low-paid and part-time staff will qualify.
This is a big shift for payroll and budgeting, so employers should prepare early.
5. More Reforms in October 2026
Other important changes arriving later in the year include:
- A new legal duty to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent workplace harassment (including from customers or third parties).
- An extension of the time limit for most tribunal claims from three months to six.
- New obligations to consult on tipping policies and update them regularly.
- Greater rights for trade unions to access workplaces.
How Employers Should Prepare
With so much coming at once, 2026 is not the year to leave HR updates to the last minute. We recommend you:
- Audit contracts and policies now to see what will need updating.
- Update sickness and leave procedures ahead of the April changes.
- Train managers on handling flexible working requests fairly.
- Seek professional advice before attempting to change contracts.
Final Thoughts
The changes in 2026 are designed to give employees more protection and choice – but for employers, they mean extra responsibility and risk. Taking action now will help you stay compliant and avoid costly disputes later.
If you’d like tailored advice on what these reforms our HR partners EnlightenHR would be happy to hear from you. They are offering a free half hour consultation to Richardson Swift clients seeking their advice. Contact Holly Mapstone on holly@enlightenhr.com to book a call.