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ADVICE & INFORMATION

becoming reasonable to believe that they steps to prevent it. This applies to any day one of employment. Employers
might qualify. This obligation continues form of harassment, not just sexual will need to handle requests promptly,
throughout employment to ensure harassment. consult with employees and provide
ongoing access to information about Further guidance will clarify what sound business reasons for refusal.
these rights. There will also be an opt-out amounts to ‘all reasonable steps’, but • Collective redundancy: The act tightens
mechanism for employers and unions employers can expect to see expectations obligations on employers undertaking
to agree alternative arrangements via around clear policies, risk assessments large-scale redundancies, including
a collective agreement, provided strict and effective reporting and response more detailed information and earlier
conditions are met. procedures. consultation requirements.
Although much of the detail will follow Reviewing current policies and • Statutory sick pay (SSP) and holidays:
in future regulations, these changes mark providing regular training for managers SSP will become payable from the first
a significant shift for businesses that and staff will be key to ensuring everyone day of sickness; the lower earnings
rely on flexible labour. Employers need to understands how to raise concerns and limit will be removed; and new rules
develop compliant internal processes. how they will be addressed. will require employers to keep clearer
Stronger protections against The act will also ban non-disclosure records of working hours and holiday
harassment and ban of NDAs agreements (NDAs) that attempt to accrual to ensure compliance with
The Act strengthens employers’ prevent workers from speaking out about working time regulations.
obligation to tackle workplace workplace harassment or discrimination
harassment by expanding the current - whether relating to an employee’s own Preparing for change
duty to require them to take all experience or that of another employee. While some measures may not come
reasonable steps to prevent sexual Whistleblowing protections will also be into force until late 2026, or even later,
harassment of staff. Although this new extended to cover sexual harassment taking steps now to understand the
duty may not give rise to standalone complaints, giving workers stronger changes and plan ahead should make
tribunal claims, it may influence the safeguards. the transition smoother when the final
outcome of harassment claims. Employers should review how NDAs provisions take effect.
Additionally, a separate provision will are used in settlement agreements and Reviewing contracts, internal
introduce protection for workers who update whistleblowing and grievance practices and policies will help identify
procedures to reflect these changes.
experience harassment by third parties, where updates are likely to be needed.
such as clients or customers, if the Other measures Additionally, keeping detailed and
employer has not taken all reasonable In addition to the headline reforms, the accurate records, particularly around
act includes a range working hours, contract changes and
of other significant disciplinary processes, will be more
proposals that important than ever.
employers should
have on their radar: Furthermore, investing in staff training
• Trade unions and can help ensure they understand the
industrial action: new requirements and apply them
Protections for consistently in practice.
workers involved But in practical terms, the act could
in lawful trade affect recruitment and staff turnover;
union activity or with the unfair dismissal qualifying period
industrial action will being shorter, employers will have to
be strengthened, invest in better onboarding, probation
including new policies, and documentation to reduce
safeguards against early on employment disputes.
dismissal and clearer As for payroll and HR matters, the
rules on picketing and changes to SSP, enhanced leave rights,
balloting procedures. and flexible working processes will
• Family rights: Right require updates to payroll, rotas, absence
to take unpaid tracking, and employee handbooks.
parental leave and And in terms of irregular hours workers,
paternity leave will new rights around shift cancellation and
become a day one guaranteed hours may well affect how
right and there will contractors structure their zero-hours or
be a new right to
bereavement leave. casual arrangements.
• Flexible working: Finally, there are the compliance risks
Employees will - tribunal claims, penalties, enforcement
gain greater action – that will likely rise. Simply put,
rights to request employers would be best advised keeping
flexible working an eye on this piece of legislation. 
arrangements from Mark Stevens is a legal director at VWV LLP

62 CFJ April 2026 www.contractflooringjournal.co.uk
@CFJMagazine