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New employment rights in 2026: what they mean for your business and the fight against modern slavery

The employment law changes that came into force in April 2026 are relevant not just from a compliance standpoint, but in terms of what they mean for labour exploitation more broadly. Understanding these changes, and how they interact with your existing modern slavery obligations, is an increasingly important part of responsible business practice.

In April 2026, the UK introduced new employment rights legislation, strengthening protections for workers and placing greater responsibility on employers to uphold fair, lawful labour practices.

why employment law and modern slavery are connected

Exploitation does not tend to happen in isolation. Data from Unseen’s Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline consistently shows that labour exploitation occurs alongside other employment law breaches: withheld wages, absent contracts, unsafe conditions, and restricted access to statutory rights. 

For businesses, this means that employment law compliance and modern slavery due diligence are closely linked. Weaknesses in one can indicate or enable risk in the other. 

key changes within employment law

The Fair Work Agency 

One of the most significant structural changes is the creation of the Fair Work Agency, which brings together enforcement of minimum wage legislation, employment agency standards, and labour exploitation under one body. 

Previously fragmented across multiple agencies, enforcement is now consolidated. For organisations relying on contracted or agency labour, particularly across complex supply chains, this is a prime opportunity to review whether employment practices are auditable and compliant. The new structure also increases accountability for worker treatment across all operations. 

 

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from day one and Day-One Family Leave 

From 2026, statutory sick pay applies from the first day of employment, with no minimum earnings threshold. Similarly, paternity leave and unpaid parental leave are available from day one, removing previous qualifying periods. 

These changes ensure all workers, regardless of role or pay level, receive core protections, reducing vulnerability to exploitative practices and supporting a fairer workplace. 

 

Whistleblowing Protections 

The updated law explicitly recognises disclosures about sexual harassment as protected whistleblowing under the Employment Rights Act 2025. Workers who speak up are now shielded from dismissal or detriment. 

Stronger whistleblowing protections provide a safe way for workers to flag abuse. Beyond addressing individual grievances, this mechanism helps identify wider patterns of coercion, forced labour, or other forms of modern slavery within organisations. 

the broader picture for business

While these changes don’t replace the Modern Slavery Act 2015, they strengthen the systems that protect workers and signal a more active, consolidated regulatory environment. 

Now is the perfect moment for businesses to review and update policies, reporting channels, and worker protections to meet the new requirements. By doing so, they can make the most of this change: addressing compliance while also using the opportunity to strengthen safeguards against modern slavery. Embedding robust practices and accessible reporting mechanisms not only reduces exploitation risks but also helps create a safer, fairer workplace across all operations, including contracted and agency labour. 

Unseen’s business services team works with organisations across sectors to help navigate these changes and integrate them with modern slavery obligations. Taking a structured, proactive approach ensures that improvements in employment law compliance also reinforce protections against exploitation, delivering stronger outcomes for workers and your business alike.  

If you’d like to learn more about support you can receive, contact the business services team.

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Justine Currell

As I came to understand more about the issue, including through a visit to an Unseen safehouse, I knew I needed to do more to stop this abuse and exploitation.

For the last five years of my Civil Service career, I was the Modern Slavery Senior Policy Advisor in the Home Office and led on development of the Modern Slavery Act, including the transparency in supply chains provision and business guidance.

I joined Unseen to lead the development of the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, and Unseen’s work with businesses. I am regularly called upon to present at national and international conferences and use my experience of working with Ministers to influence other governments internationally to take action to address modern slavery and, in particular, business supply chain issues.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, music, reading and travelling.

Andrew Wallis

What ultimately compelled me to act was a report on how people from Eastern Europe were being trafficked through Bristol airport to the USA. Kate Garbers, who went on to be an Unseen Director, and I wrote to all the city councillors, MPs and the Police Chief Constable challenging them on the issue. The challenge came back to us: this city needs safe housing for trafficked women. And so Unseen began.

But we never wanted Unseen to be just about safe housing. We wanted to end slavery once and for all, and that remains our driving focus.

I chaired the working group for the Centre for Social Justice’s landmark report “It Happens Here: Equipping the United Kingdom to Fight Modern Slavery”. This is now acknowledged as the catalyst behind the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015. It was a great honour to be awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours that year. On the other hand, I’ve also been described as “the loveliest disrupter you could ever hope to meet”.

This job has taken me from building flat-pack furniture for safehouses, to working with businesses to address slavery in supply chains, to delivering training, raising awareness and advising governments around the world.

When not at work, I enjoy travelling, spending time with my dog Harley, cooking, supporting Liverpool and Yorkshire CC, music (I’m a former DJ) and endurance events such as the Three Peaks Challenge and Tribe Freedom Runs – which I vow never to do again. Until the next time.