April 6 marks landmark moment for the Employment Rights Act, and employers need to be sure they are compliant, says the CIPD

As a number of key reforms come into place from April 6, as part of the Employment Rights Act 2025, Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, comments: 

“April 6 marks a significant moment for some of the most substantial elements of the Employment Rights Act 2025. The conversations we’ve been having with employers suggest many have been preparing for this moment, but all organisations must be aware of the reforms that now become law. The changes are far reaching, from the expansion of day one family-related rights, to changes to statutory sick pay, reforms to the statutory recognition process for trade unions, and penalties for non-compliance. The focus for employers now needs to shift from preparation to compliance. To do this, employers need to share updated workplace polices and clearly communicate these to all staff, particularly line managers who will need to understand the potential implications for their teams and the queries they may raise. 

“The CIPD warns that some elements of the Act may lead to increased conflict at work. The CIPD’s February Labour Market Outlook found that more than half of employers surveyed (55%) anticipate a rise in workplace conflict from one or more elements of the Act. This highlights the need for effective people management processes and sits alongside new reforms to trade union legislation. 

Cheese continues:  

“This month’s changes to trade union recognition pave the way for the next phase of reforms relating to trade unions coming in across this year, so there’s a little more time to prepare. Many businesses will have worked with unions before but for others it will be entirely new. This is the time for employers to be aware of changes which give the rights of access of unions to every workplace, and how they should prepare for greater engagement with trade unions.  

“All employers need to be aware of the reforms to workers' rights happening this year, and look at guidance from the Government, ACAS and bodies including the CIPD, bringing in HR expertise as needed. This will be especially true for smaller businesses, who often have limited resources and experience of labour market regulations, and could unintentionally fall foul of the law given the breadth of worker rights reforms happening this coming week and later this year. 

“April marks the first set of significant changes coming into force but there is a considerable roadmap from Government outlining what is still to come. As the CIPD we are supporting our members with practical guidance and will continue to engage with government to reflect insights from employers and HR professionals as further reforms move through secondary legislation.”