What is a Section 278 Agreement?

A Section 278 Agreement is a legal agreement between a developer and a highway authority to carry out highway works.

Employment Law Roadmap For Implementing The Employment Rights Bill: 2025-2027

The Government has published its employment law roadmap, setting out how and when the wide-ranging reforms in the Employment Rights Bill will be introduced.

While the original timeline was ambitious, the new roadmap signals a slower, more phased rollout—particularly when it comes to major reforms like zero-hour contracts and day-one unfair dismissal rights, which now aren’t expected until 2027.

Consultations Timeline

Some proposed changes will be preceded by a period of statutory consultation. We now have a clearer timeline for this.

Expect consultations in Summer/Autumn 2025 on:

Day-one unfair dismissal
Single enforcement body (SSSNB)
Social care pay
Trade union reforms
Fire-and-rehire ban
Umbrella company rules
Bereavement leave
Pregnancy protections
Zero-hour contract regulation

These will be followed by further consultations over Winter 2025/Early 2026 on:

Tipping laws
Flexible working rights
Collective redundancy consultation processes
Blacklisting protections

Key Implementation Milestones

As soon as the Bill receives Royal Assent:

Repeal of Minimum Service Levels Act 2023 and parts of Trade Union Act 2016
New protection from dismissal for those involved in industrial action

April 2026:

Doubling the protective award for collective redundancy breaches
Day-one rights to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
Strengthened whistleblowing protections
Introduction of the Fair Work Agency
Statutory Sick Pay reform (no lower earnings limit or waiting days)
Easier trade union recognition and online ballots

October 2026:

Fire-and-rehire ban
Launch of a Fair Pay Agreement Negotiating Body for adult social care
Stronger rules on tips

Employer duty to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment
Expanded trade union rights
Stricter employment tribunal limits and protections for those taking industrial action

2027:

Mandatory gender pay gap and menopause action plans (voluntary from April 2026)
Strengthened protections for pregnant workers
Extended flexible working rights
New right to bereavement leave
Restrictions on abusive zero-hour practices
Regulation of umbrella companies
Day-one unfair dismissal rights

What HR should do now

With this clearer and more realistic timescale, HR teams can start preparing:

Update handbooks and policies – especially for family leave, harassment, and dismissal rights
Consider responding to upcoming consultations – consider whether you wish to respond to the upcoming consultations to help shape final regulations
Train managers – ensure line managers understand the upcoming duties and rights
Audit payroll and benefits – to reflect upcoming SSP and leave changes

Now’s the time to strategically plan, using these timelines to make sure your internal systems are ready. With over two years of phased implementation, being proactive will pay off.

Read the implementation document in full here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686258bdb466cce1bb1219dc/implementing-the-employment-rights-bill-roadmap.pdf