Women’s Rights at Work in the UK: Your Employment Rights in 2026

What rights do I have as a woman at work in the UK? Most of us have probably never asked ourselves this question, even though we all have jobs, co-workers and bosses and most of us have probably had at least one gender discrimination incident happen in their professional lives. After all, statistics show that nearly one in seven women in the UK have experienced sexism at work. 

Women’s rights at work in the UK are protected by long-standing legislation such as the Equality Act 2010, while the Employment Rights Act 2025 has introduced and proposed further changes affecting women in the workplace. These include stronger protections around sexual harassment, pregnancy and maternity, alongside measures designed to tackle the gender pay gap and improve workplace support around menopause.

In March, the Government launched new gender pay gap and menopause action plans aimed at helping women thrive at work. The initiative was launched by The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities. The accompanying Employer Guidance encourages organisations with 250 or more employees to publish the actions they are taking to reduce their gender pay gap and support employees through menopause.

According to Deanne Walsh, HR Professional and Founder of Dewa Consulting, greater gender pay gap reporting in larger organisations is a significant step forward, while additional maternity protections could create greater stability and security for women at work.

Penny East, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society, said: “Over the next year, while the plans remain voluntary, we will continue to work with government to ensure the final compulsory framework includes stronger pay transparency measures and clear accountability. This is a rare opportunity to strengthen women’s participation in the workforce, and the plans must therefore be ambitious, measurable and enforceable.”

Understanding your employment rights can feel overwhelming, particularly as workplace law continues to change. The Women’s Journal has brought together the key women’s rights at work in the UK for 2026, with expert insight on everything from maternity leave and menopause to equal pay, flexible working, discrimination and sexual harassment – plus what to do if you believe your rights have been breached.

Equality Act 2010: Women’s Rights at Work in the UK

Women’s rights at work in the UK are protected by a range of employment and equality laws, including the Equality Act 2010, the Employment Rights Act 1996 and legislation covering maternity, parental leave and other workplace protections.

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination because of nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. For women in the workplace, this includes protection against sex discrimination and pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

Alongside these long-standing legal protections, recent employment reforms and government initiatives are intended to strengthen workplace protections for women, including greater transparency around the gender pay gap, enhanced safeguards against workplace harassment and improved support during pregnancy, maternity and menopause.

Kelly Allison, Founder and CEO of KVA Digital and a specialist in workplace culture, believes that employers still need to rethink how workplaces are designed to support women: “The female body does not operate on a corporate timeline, and a workplace built around the assumption of an uninterrupted, always-available, physically consistent worker is a workplace built around a male default that has never reflected the reality of most women’s lives”. 

While these laws provide the legal framework for protecting women at work, understanding how they apply to everyday situations isn’t always straightforward. Below, we break down your rights in more detail and explain what you can do if you believe they’ve been breached.

Pregnancy and Maternity Rights at Work in the UK

Pregnant employees and those taking maternity leave have enhanced protection in redundancy situations. This doesn’t mean you cannot be made redundant, but during the protected period you have priority for a suitable alternative vacancy where one is available. The Employment Rights Act 2025 also provides for further protections around dismissal during pregnancy, maternity leave and a period following a return to work, with further detail dependent on regulations and implementation.

Gemma McCall, Co-Founder and CEO of harassment reporting platform Culture Shift, was made redundant while on maternity leave 10 years ago. She says the experience opened her eyes to the lack of support many women face in the workplace: “When women are on maternity leave, they’re ultimately removed from the workplace for that time period because of the lack of decent paternity/shared parental leave options in the UK. This often ends up putting the brakes on women’s careers, which could be different if there were better shared parental leave options for those that wanted that option”.

Zoe Duce, Founder of MoveThru, which helps professional mothers and organisations navigate maternity leave and return-to-work through practical systems, planning tools, and advisory services, also struggled to get answers about her own maternity rights from her former employer. “When I got pregnant, my manager was supportive but didn’t know the policies or the process. There was nobody in HR to ask, so it was all about logging a ticket and waiting for an answer. When I did have further questions, I was referred to a call centre based in India. Overall, I realised there was nowhere to turn for any helpful guidance on my situation”, Zoe says.

As an employee, you are entitled to up to 52 weeks of statutory maternity leave, which is a day-one right for employees. This consists of 26 weeks of Ordinary Maternity Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Maternity Leave. If you meet the necessary eligibility criteria you may also be entitled to up to 39 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay. 

According to Georgie, eligibility for statutory payments is often linked to factors such as employment status, average earnings and continuity of employment, while eligibility for leave may be based on different criteria. 

If you’re eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay, you can receive it for up to 39 weeks. For the first six weeks, it’s paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings. For the following 33 weeks, the 2026/27 rate is £194.32 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

Employees are also entitled to paid time off for antenatal appointments and have the right to work in a safe environment during pregnancy. Employers must carry out appropriate health and safety assessments and, where necessary, make reasonable adjustments or offer suitable alternative work where available.

If there is no suitable alternative work available and the health and safety risk cannot be removed, you have the right to be suspended on full pay for as long as necessary to protect your health and safety. Your employer must continue paying you during this period.

Pregnancy and Gender Discrimination at Work: What Counts as Illegal Treatment?

Even if you know your rights, it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether an employer or colleague has crossed the line into unlawful discrimination. Whether you’re pregnant, on maternity leave or simply because of your sex, you have the legal right not to be treated less favourably at work.

Examples of unlawful discrimination include being overlooked for a promotion because you’re pregnant or because of your sex, being excluded from meetings, training or development opportunities, having your hours reduced because of your pregnancy, being dismissed after announcing your pregnancy, being refused paid time off for antenatal appointments, being pressured to start maternity leave earlier than necessary, being refused the right to return to work after maternity leave, being subjected to negative or offensive comments about your pregnancy or gender, or being selected for redundancy or dismissed because of your pregnancy or sex.

If you believe you’ve experienced discrimination, it’s important to keep a record of what happened, even if it seems minor at the time. Make a note of dates, conversations, emails and any witnesses, as this information could become valuable evidence if you decide to raise the issue formally. “I would encourage women to document everything – dates, conversations, responses – because documentation is protective, and it gives her options she may need later,” Kelly advises.

If you’re unsure whether the treatment you’ve experienced amounts to discrimination, speak to your HR department or trade union representative, or seek independent advice before deciding on your next steps. Understanding your rights early can help you address problems before they escalate.

Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss: Your Rights at Work

According to Tommy’s Pregnancy and Baby Charity, one in ten women who experience pregnancy loss while working left their job because of inadequate employer support. Losing a baby is a traumatic experience for both parents and more workplaces are starting to recognise that employees need time off and support after a loss. 

So, what rights do you have in this situation? Some employers already have specific miscarriage or pregnancy loss policies in place, which may include paid compassionate leave, paid miscarriage leave or access to counselling and wellbeing support. Check your employer’s miscarriage, pregnancy loss or compassionate leave policy, or ask your manager or HR team what support is available, as provisions can differ between organisations.

If there is no such policy in place, you will still be entitled to take sick leave as normal. You will need to provide a doctor’s note confirming the absence is pregnancy-related if you need more than seven days off.

Your employer must record this leave separately and must not use it against you. Employees are protected from discrimination related to pregnancy and pregnancy-related illness, and employers should not treat someone unfairly because they have experienced a pregnancy loss.

If your baby is stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy, you remain entitled to statutory maternity leave and, if eligible, Statutory Maternity Pay. Different legal rights apply depending on the stage of pregnancy at which the loss occurs, so it’s worth speaking to your employer or seeking independent advice if you’re unsure of your entitlement.

Deanne says: “Prior to the legislation change, parents had minimal entitlement, and the loss of a child is so severe, whether early or late pregnancy. So good workplace support includes enhanced leave, access to bereavement counselling, flexible working for a time, and empathy and understanding that the employee isn’t going to be back in work and fully engaged and productive within weeks of losing a baby”.

Menopause at Work: What Are Your Rights in the UK?

Recent menopause and the workplace data showed that one in ten women who worked during menopause have left a job due to their symptoms. The Employment Rights Act 2025 and accompanying government initiatives have placed greater focus on supporting employees experiencing menopause and improving their participation and retention in the workplace.

The Government’s additional measures announced in March encourage employers with 250 or more employees to produce and publish action plans explaining how they will support employees experiencing menopause and address their gender pay gap. The plans are currently voluntary but are expected to become mandatory from spring 2027, subject to secondary legislation.

In practice, this means larger employers are expected to develop a written strategy explaining how they will support employees experiencing perimenopause and menopause. This could include reasonable workplace adjustments, manager training, consistent policies and good practice, as well as open and clear communication about the support available to employees. Reasonable workplace adjustments may include more breaks, different shift times, different uniform material, access to a fan, cold water and more frequent bathroom breaks.

However, Jog Hundle, Employment Partner at Mills & Reeve, points out that these action plans are designed to improve accountability rather than create new legal rights: “While new action plans will hold employers publicly accountable, they do not create a new statutory right for employees”. 

If menopause symptoms are severe enough to negatively impact your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, they may be classified as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. “Where an employee is considered to be disabled, employers are legally obligated to make reasonable adjustments, such as flexible working, temperature control, and rest breaks”, says Jog.

Deanne adds: “The impact of menopause is vastly underestimated. I used to run a menopause support group and whilst some people breeze through it, others are really severely affected. Like most disabilities a wellness action plan or specific menopause action plan should be in place for the employees in question”.

While reasonable adjustments are intended to help employees remain in work, some adjustments may involve changes to working patterns or hours.

According to Georgie Ward, Policy and Research Officer at the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), many reasonable adjustments can be implemented without affecting pay, leave entitlements or contractual benefits. “Where an adjustment involves a formal change to contractual working hours or working patterns, employers and employees should consider whether there are any implications for salary, pension contributions, annual leave entitlement or other contractual benefits before changes are agreed”, Georgie says.

Sexual Harassment at Work: Your Rights and What to Do

Sexual harassment at work is one area where employment rights have strengthened in 2026. Since April 2026, disclosures about sexual harassment can qualify for protection under whistleblowing law, helping to protect workers from unfair treatment or dismissal for speaking up where the legal requirements for whistleblowing protection are met.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 also contains provisions restricting the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to prevent workers from speaking about harassment and discrimination, although the relevant regulations are due to be implemented in 2027. Florence Brocklesby, Founder and Managing Partner of Bellevue Law, notes that exceptions to the restrictions remain subject to further detail, meaning their full practical effect is not yet clear.

From 1 October 2026, employers will be required to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees and will have obligations relating to harassment by third parties such as customers, clients and service users. “They must now be conducting granular assessments of where risk lies in their organisation – including if it comes from third parties such as customers – putting in place measures to prevent harassment and updating policies and training line managers,” Florence explains.

Gemma says these changes could make a real difference. “Our data from a survey of over 1,000 UK employees earlier this year showed that a third of women have been sexually harassed in the workplace. So, I think the elements of the Employment Rights Act that focus on sexual harassment will make a big difference to women.”

Gemma adds that many employers still see sexual harassment training as a box-ticking exercise. “True prevention starts by acknowledging that sexual harassment is a societal problem and not being scared to acknowledge that fact and educate employees on it.”

According to Gemma, the new whistleblowing protections also make reporting sexual harassment significantly easier, as employees are protected even if they initially raise concerns in an informal conversation with their manager.

So, what should you do if you experience sexual harassment at work? First and foremost, try to write down as much as you can about the incident, even if it seems minor at the time. Having details such as the date, time and place, what was said or done, who was involved and whether there were any witnesses could become really important later. If there are emails, messages or other evidence, make sure to keep copies of those too.

The next step is to speak to someone, ideally your HR department or a trade union representative, and follow your employer’s grievance or harassment policy if they have one. If you’re unsure what your options are, organisations such as Acas can also offer free and confidential advice.

If your complaint isn’t resolved or isn’t taken seriously, you may be able to make a claim to an employment tribunal. Strict time limits apply. The time limit for most employment tribunal claims is currently three months less one day, but from 1 October 2026 this will increase to six months for most claims. Acas Early Conciliation can also affect how the deadline is calculated, so seek advice as early as possible.

A Simple Guide to Your Equal Pay Rights in the UK

In the UK, women have the legal right to equal pay for equal work under the Equality Act 2010. This means your employer cannot pay you less than a male colleague doing equal work because of your sex. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Statutory Code of Practice on Equal Pay provides guidance on how these legal rights should be applied.

Equal pay covers more than just your salary. It also includes bonuses, pensions, holiday pay, overtime, annual leave, contractual benefits, redundancy pay and other contractual terms and conditions.

You have the right to equal pay regardless of whether you work full time or part time, are an employee, an apprentice, a worker or an agency worker.

So, what exactly is equal work and how do you know if it applies? Under UK law, there are three types of equal work: ‘like work’, ‘work rated as equivalent’ and ‘work of equal value’.

‘Like work’ means the job and the skills needed are the same or broadly similar. For example, a female retail assistant should not be paid less than a male retail assistant doing the same role.

‘Work rated as equivalent’ applies where an employer has carried out a formal job evaluation and different roles have been given the same rating because they require similar levels of skill, effort and responsibility.

‘Work of equal value’ means the jobs are different but require a similar level of skill, training, responsibility and effort. For example, a cleaner and a porter may carry out different duties but their roles could still be considered to be of equal value.

There are some situations where a difference in pay may be lawful, even if the work appears equal. For example, an employer may pay someone more because they have specialist skills that are difficult to recruit, they receive a location allowance for working in a more expensive area, or they work different shifts that attract additional pay.

If you think you’re being paid less because of your sex, ask your employer to explain the reason for the difference. If you’re still concerned, you can raise the issue with HR, your trade union or seek independent legal advice. You should never be paid less simply because you are a woman.

Flexible Working Rights for Women in 2026

Kelly believes flexible working should become the norm rather than the exception: “Employers need to get far more serious about flexible working as a default rather than a concession, because so many of the health challenges women face across their careers are unpredictable, and a rigid structure that requires the same output on every day regardless of what is happening physiologically is a structure that is inherently harder for women to sustain.”

According to Acas, anyone with the legal status of an employee has the right to request flexible working from the first day of employment. Flexible working can include changing your working hours, working from home, working compressed hours, job sharing or working part time. If you are an agency worker, casual worker or on a zero-hours contract, this statutory right might not apply to you.

Once you have made a request, your employer must consider it reasonably and can only refuse it if there is a valid business reason. They must consult you before refusing a request and provide a final decision within two months, unless a different timescale has been agreed.

While your employer does not have to approve every request, they do have to consider it fairly. If you feel your request has been refused because of your sex, pregnancy, maternity or another protected characteristic, you should seek advice from HR, your trade union or an independent organisation such as Acas.

How to Report Workplace Discrimination in the UK

If you feel you have experienced workplace discrimination, it’s important to document everything. Make a note of the dates, times, locations, who was present and exactly what happened. If there are any emails, messages or other evidence, make sure to keep copies of those too.

If you feel comfortable speaking to your manager or a member of your HR team, it’s often a good idea to raise the issue informally first. In some cases, concerns can be resolved quickly without having to make a formal complaint.

If resolving the issue informally doesn’t lead anywhere, you can raise a formal grievance. Raising a grievance means making a formal complaint to your employer about a serious workplace issue, which they are required to investigate in line with their grievance procedure.

It’s also important to seek independent advice so you’re aware of all your rights before deciding on your next steps. You could speak to Acas, your trade union or an employment solicitor.

If you still can’t reach a resolution with your employer or you feel your complaint isn’t being taken seriously, you may be able to make a claim to an employment tribunal. Strict time limits apply. The time limit for most employment tribunal claims is currently three months less one day, but from 1 October 2026 this will increase to six months for most claims. Acas Early Conciliation can also affect how the deadline is calculated, so seek advice as early as possible.

Kelly has this advice for women experiencing discrimination at work: “I would tell her that her silence is not the same as her consent, and that the fear of speaking up, while entirely understandable, should never be mistaken for a sign that she does not deserve better – because she does, and the organisations that create environments where women cannot speak up safely are the ones with the problem, not the women inside them.”

Support Services and Legal Help for Women in the Workplace

While women’s legal protections at work continue to strengthen, Kelly believes workplace culture still has a long way to go: “More organisations now have menopause policies, more HR teams are trained on pregnancy discrimination, and the conversation around women’s health at work is louder and more mainstream than it was even five years ago. But having a policy and having a culture where a woman actually feels safe enough to invoke it are entirely different realities, and the gap between them remains enormous”.

If you need advice or support, there are several organisations that can help: 

• Acas provides free and impartial advice on employment rights and workplace disputes. It also offers Early Conciliation, which may help resolve a dispute before it reaches an employment tribunal. 
• Rights of Women offers free confidential legal advice on discrimination, sexual harassment, and employment rights. 
• Maternity Action provides expert advice and casework support for women experiencing pregnancy or maternity discrimination, unfair redundancy or other workplace issues related to pregnancy and maternity.
• Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) offers advice on the Equality Act 2010 and can help with informal dispute resolution.

Women’s Rights at Work UK FAQs

Can menopause be considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010?

Menopause itself is not automatically classed as a disability, but symptoms may meet the legal definition of a disability if they have a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. If you are considered to be disabled, your employer is legally obligated to make reasonable adjustments, which could include flexible working, temperature control and rest breaks.

Can I be made redundant while pregnant or on maternity leave?

You can be made redundant while pregnant or on maternity leave, but you have additional legal protections. If a redundancy situation arises during the protected period, you have priority for a suitable alternative vacancy where one is available. Your employer also cannot select you for redundancy because you’re pregnant or taking maternity leave.

What should I do if I experience discrimination or sexual harassment at work?

Keep a record of what happened, including dates, conversations, emails, messages and any witnesses. You can raise the issue with your manager or HR department and follow your employer’s grievance or harassment policy. You can also seek advice from Acas, your trade union or an independent organisation such as Rights of Women. If the issue is not resolved, you may be able to make a claim to an employment tribunal.

How long do I have to make an employment tribunal claim?

Strict time limits apply to employment tribunal claims. For many claims, the current time limit is three months less one day, but from 1 October 2026 the time limit for most employment tribunal claims will increase to six months. Acas Early Conciliation can affect how the deadline is calculated, so it’s important to seek advice as early as possible.

What are my rights to equal pay in the UK?

Women have the legal right to equal pay for equal work under the Equality Act 2010, meaning your employer cannot pay you less than a male colleague because of your sex. Equal pay covers more than your salary and can include bonuses, pensions, holiday pay, overtime, annual leave and other contractual benefits.

Please note: Employment law can change and individual circumstances vary. This guide provides general information and is not a substitute for legal advice. If you’re unsure about your rights or believe they have been breached, consider seeking advice from Acas, Citizens Advice, your trade union or an employment solicitor. You can also use the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service to find legal support in England and Wales, or check whether you may be eligible for legal aid.