The Employment Rights Bill was introduced to Parliament on 10th October 2024. The Bill has been described as “the biggest upgrade to employment rights for a generation”, and it is the first phase of delivering Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay, which was issued in the run-up to the election.
The Bill will bring forward policy measures including:
- ‘Day 1 rights’ of employment, including entitlement to Paternity Leave, and Unpaid Parental Leave as well as protection from Unfair Dismissal while allowing employers to operate probation periods.
- Establishing Bereavement Leave, and making Flexible Working the default.
- Addressing one-sided flexibility by banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, abolishing the scourge of fire and rehire and strengthening provisions on collective redundancy.
- Establishing the Fair Work Agency.
- Bringing forward measures to modernise Trade Union laws.
- Improving pay and conditions through a Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care, re-establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, and re-instating the two-tier code for procurement.
- Increasing protection from sexual harassment.
- Introducing gender and menopause action plans and strengthening rights for pregnant workers.
- Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay.
Whilst is it likely the majority of the reforms will not take affect any earlier than 2026, the Government has acknowledged that time will be needed to prepare for the changes, and therefore consultation on the reforms will begin in 2025.
It is important that you are fully aware of the reforms, especially given the extent of them, and we will be hosting a free live webinar in November, led by our Senior Legal Advisor to discuss the changes in more detail. Information on this webinar will be shared with customers shortly.