'A moral turning point for Christian women at work?' Why the Employment Rights Act 2025 could transform millions of lives

According to Ann-Louise Graham, new workplace reforms could significantly improve security, leave rights, and health support for women. Women are expected to be the greatest beneficiaries of key provisions in the new Employment Rights Act 2025. The legislation has been described as having the potential to bring about the most significant improvement to women’s working lives in a generation, with reports that as many as 4.7 million women will benefit from stronger sick pay.

One of the most significant elements of the Employment Rights Act for women, however, concerns pregnancy and maternity protection. The law already makes it illegal to dismiss a woman because she is pregnant or on maternity leave. However, the new legislation goes further by strengthening safeguards against dismissal both during pregnancy and after a woman has returned to work. The changes acknowledge a reality many women already know that pregnancy and motherhood may carry an unspoken risk to job security.