The Work Couch: The Employment Rights Act: A new era for family-friendly rights

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast where we discuss all things employment.

Kicking off Season 4, we take a deep dive into how the Employment Rights Act 2025 will transform a key area of employment law: family-friendly rights at work. We explain what the changes mean, when they are expected to come into force, and the practical steps employers can take now to stay one step ahead.

Host Ellie Gelder is joined by Joanna Holford, senior associate, and Megan Latham, trainee solicitor, both from our Employment, Engagement & Equality team, who share their insights on:

• New "day one" rights to statutory paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, bereavement leave and how these will apply in practice;
• The introduction of extended paternity leave for eligible bereaved fathers and partners, (separate from the ERA but also coming into force in April 2026);
• Enhanced protections for pregnant workers and new mothers against dismissal;
• Flexible working reforms;
• The recently published terms of reference for the government's review into carers leave; and
• Top tips to prepare for this new era of family-friendly rights.

The Work Couch will bring you more updates on the Employment Rights Act (ERA) as they develop. In the meantime, you can keep on top of all of the 25 plus employment law reforms introduced by the ERA - as well as access key watch-outs – by signing up to our ERA tracker, a free resource which is regularly updated by the Employment, Engagement & Equality team.

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All information is correct at the time of recording. The Work Couch is not a substitute for legal advice.