Parenting, pregnancy, loss and family life are all deeply woven into work-life. For both employees and employers, clarity and consistency around rights means less risk, better support, and a stronger working culture. The Employment Rights Bill promises to modernise a number of family-leave rights to reflect modern day living.
At present, there are no new rights beyond existing laws covering maternity, paternity, shared parental, and parental bereavement leave. These are:
- Maternity & Parental Leave: Eligible employees can take statutory leave and pay, with some service requirements;
- Bereavement Leave: Currently applies when a child under 18 dies or a stillbirth occurs after 24 weeks of pregnancy; and
- Many organisations already offer enhanced or flexible options, but these remain voluntary.
What the Employment Rights Bill Proposes:
The new Bill is set to introduce a more inclusive approach to family and bereavement support and proposes that:
- Pregnancy loss before 24 weeks will be recognised, giving parents statutory bereavement leave;
- Employees will have day-one rights for paternity and unpaid parental leave, removing current qualifying service periods;
- Employees will have stronger job protection during and after maternity leave, adoption, or shared parental leave.
- Extended protection against redundancy for those returning from family leave.
What does this mean for Employers and Employees?
For Employers:
Prepare to update policies and train managers on the new rules. Strong family-friendly policies improve retention, wellbeing, and compliance.
For Employees:
You’ll have clearer entitlements, earlier access to leave, and better protection during major life events from parenthood to loss.
The Employment Rights Bill reflects a growing recognition that work and family life are deeply connected. By extending support to those experiencing pregnancy loss, simplifying access to parental leave, and strengthening protections for new and returning parents, the reforms aim to create a more understanding and equitable workplace.
Stay up to date
Track the latest developments and estimated timeframes on our Employment Rights Bill Dashboard.
