October is the next major milestone in the Employment Rights Act (ERA) rollout – but it’s far from the last. With further reforms ahead, keeping track of what’s changing, when it’s happening and what your organisation needs to do can be difficult.
For Riddingtons Payroll clients, this month matters because several changes directly affect payroll processes, HR policies, manager training and risk exposure.
What’s changing in October 2026?
Two key dates drive this month’s reforms: 1 October and 30 October 2026.
From 1 October 2026
- Employment Tribunal time limits increase from 3 to 6 months for most claims (with Scottish breach-of-contract claims following on 9 November).
This extends the window in which employees can bring claims for discrimination, unfair dismissal, unlawful deductions and more.
From 30 October 2026
A larger wave of reforms lands at the end of the month:
- Stronger duty to prevent sexual harassment – employers must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of employees (strengthening the existing “reasonable steps” duty)
- Third‑party harassment liability – employers must not permit harassment of employees by third parties (customers, clients, contractors, suppliers, etc.).
- Trade union reforms, including:
- A new statutory right for independent unions to access workplaces (in person or virtually).
- Enhanced rights and protections for union representatives.
- Extended protection against detriment for taking industrial action.
- A requirement to inform workers of their right to join a trade union.
These changes sit within a wider, phased implementation of the ERA through 2026 and into 2027, with more significant reforms (such as changes to unfair dismissal) expected from January 2027.
Why this matters for payroll and HR teams
Even though many of these are “HR” changes, they have clear payroll and operational implications:
- Longer claims window means disputes can arise later, increasing the importance of accurate records, clear policies and consistent processes that payroll and HR rely on.
- Harassment duties require updated policies, training and reporting routes – often tied to disciplinary and grievance procedures that intersect with pay, bonuses and incentives.
- Trade union access and information duties may lead to more workplace engagement, consultations and potential changes to terms that feed into payroll (e.g. tips allocation, sectoral agreements).
If your policies, manager guidance and documentation haven’t been reviewed since last year, October is the point at which gaps become risk.
How to prepare your organisation
Practical steps for the next few weeks:
- Audit policies and procedures
Check anti‑harassment, grievance, disciplinary and trade union policies against the new “all reasonable steps” and third‑party harassment duties. - Update manager training
Ensure managers understand their role in preventing harassment, handling third‑party incidents and supporting union access and representation. - Review record‑keeping and timelines
Align HR and payroll systems with the new 6‑month tribunal time limit so investigations and responses can be managed effectively. - Communicate rights clearly
Prepare or update written statements and onboarding materials to inform workers of their right to join a trade union.
How Riddingtons Payroll can help
As your payroll partner, we can support you by:
- Reviewing how current payroll and HR processes align with the new ERA requirements
- Advising on record‑keeping, reporting and documentation that underpins compliant practice
- Signposting you to specialist employment law and HR support where deeper policy work is needed
If you’d like to talk through what these October changes mean for your business, contact the Riddingtons Payroll team to arrange a brief review.
