Government opens consultations on Employment Rights Bill

On 23 October 2025 the Government launched a series of public consultations on key proposals within the Employment Rights Bill.

Consultation papers have now been published and invite views from key stakeholders on the proposed changes, including employers, trade unions, legal professionals, and the public, on four major areas of reform:

• Trade union access to workplaces
  Proposals include granting independent trade unions a clear statutory right to access workplaces to meet, support, recruit and represent workers and to facilitate collective bargaining.
• Duty to inform workers of trade union rights
  Employers would be required to issue a statement to all workers informing them of their legal right to join a trade union.
• Enhanced dismissal protection for pregnant women and new mothers
  Proposals include measures to strengthen protections against dismissal for pregnant employees, mothers on maternity leave and mothers who return to work for at least a six-month period.
• Bereavement leave, including for pregnancy loss
  The consultation explores the introduction of statutory bereavement leave, including specific provisions for pregnancy loss such as the eligibility criteria, the types of pregnancy loss which would be within scope of the provisions and notice and evidential requirements.

Consultation deadlines

• Trade union-related consultations are expected to close on 18 December 2025.
• Family-friendly rights consultations are expected to close on 15 January 2026

The Employment Rights Bill is currently progressing through Parliament.