Committee publication · Correspondence · 7 July 2026
Letter from the Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection relating to a statutory instrument on industrial action under Employment Rights Act, 24 June 2026
From: Business and Trade Committee
Inquiry: Employment rights
Summary
The Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection has written to inform the Business and Trade Committee that the Government has laid a statutory instrument implementing protections for workers from detriment for taking industrial action under the Employment Rights Act 2025. The instrument bans all employer detriments against workers taking industrial action and allows compensation awards to be adjusted by up to 25% where either party fails to follow Acas procedures.
Key findings
- Government has laid a statutory instrument to strengthen protections for workers from detriment for taking industrial action, fulfilling a commitment under the Employment Rights Act 2025
- The instrument bans all detriments from employers to workers for taking industrial action, prohibiting action taken for the purpose of penalising, preventing or deterring such action
- Compensation awards can be amended by up to 25% where employers or workers fail to follow the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
- The instrument is an affirmative measure requiring approval from both Houses of Parliament before coming into force, with debates scheduled
Tone
ProceduralTopics
employment-rightsindustrial-relationslabour-lawworker-protections
Key actors
Kate Dearden MP, Liam Byrne MP, Department for Business and Trade, Acas
Notable line
“… employers are prohibited from subjecting workers to any detriment for the sole or main purpose of penalising, preventing or deterring them from taking industrial action.”
Key Quotes
“… the Government has today laid a Statutory Instru- ment before Parliament to strengthen protections for workers from detriment for taking in- dustrial action.”
“… employers are prohibited from subjecting workers to any detriment for the sole or main purpose of penalising, preventing or deterring them from taking industrial action.”
“The regulations will also enable compensation awards to be amended by up to 25% where the employer or worker has failed to follow the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗