Requirement to pay staff from first day of illness will be most significant reform under Employment Rights Act, according to employers and workers

27 February 2026

Changes to statutory sick pay (SSP) are expected to have a greater impact on workplaces than any other reform in the Employment Rights Act.

Day-one sick pay is seen as the most significant upcoming change, according to an Acas poll of more than 2,000 senior leaders and employees, with 43 per cent of employers and 36 per cent of workers saying it would have the biggest impact of all employment rights reforms.

Currently, employees are only eligible for SSP from the fourth consecutive day of illness. From 6 April 2026, this waiting period will be removed, meaning SSP will be payable from the first day of absence.

Employment rights bill amendments to boost statutory sick pay for 1.3 million low-wage workers – but is it enough?

Changes to unfair dismissal rules were the second most cited, with 31 per cent of employers and 30 per cent of workers saying the reform will have the greatest impact in the workplace.

From January 2027, employees will be able to claim unfair dismissal after six months’ service, rather than the current two-year qualifying period.

Niall Mackenzie, Acas chief executive, described the Employment Rights Act as “the biggest shake-up to employment law in a generation”.

“It is clear from our polls that new worker rights on sick pay and protections from being unfairly dismissed from work are at the...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxNNktZbllNX3k2cnhPVUhJSXNq...