Employment Rights Act Brings Day-One Sick Pay and New Worker Protections
From 6 April 2026, UK employees gained immediate entitlement to statutory sick pay, paternity leave, and bereavement leave from their first day. The Fair Work Agency begins enforcement to strengthen labour-market regulation.
Major worker protections now live
Statutory sick pay is now a day-one right for all workers, and paternity leave also becomes a day-one right, with greater protections against sexual harassment. Employees can now give notice of paternity leave and unpaid parental leave from day one of their employment, whereas previously 26 weeks' service was required for paternity leave and one year's service for unpaid parental leave.
From 6 April 2026, a worker who makes a disclosure of information relating to sexual harassment will be entitled to full whistleblowing protections, meaning workers who report sexual harassment will be protected from dismissal and detriment on the grounds of having made that disclosure.
Enforcement and collective changes
April 6 also sees the simplifying of the recognition process for trade unions, and the establishment of a Fair Work Agency, a single enforcement agency with a wide remit for labour market regulation. The Fair Work Agency includes workplace inspections, issuing penalties for underpayment, taking legal action on behalf of workers, and enforcing criminal labour law breaches.
The government has strengthened remedies against abuse of collective redundancy rules by increasing the cap on protective awards from 90 to 180 days' pay.
What this means for expat workers and employers
If you're a newly hired expat employee on any visa, you now qualify for statutory sick pay from day one—no waiting period or earnings threshold. This protects you if you fall ill in your first week. Employers must ensure payroll systems are updated; payroll teams and HR systems must be updated to avoid calculation errors. If you're a Skilled Worker visa holder, these rights apply equally. The Fair Work Agency's expanded enforcement means employers are under closer scrutiny for National Minimum Wage compliance, right-to-work checks, and proper sponsorship procedures. If you see abuse of worker rights at your workplace, report it to Acas first or the Fair Work Agency—whistleblower protections now extend further.
Sources
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