You may have seen on the news last week that the Government have announced its new Employment Rights Bill which is set to cause a major shake-up of employment rights across all sectors of work. While the Bill is not expected to come into effect until 2026, it is important to be aware of the changes and their potential impact on your business.
The main changes announced are:
- Unfair Dismissal as a ‘‘Day One’’ Right – This will end the 2-year qualifying period and employees will have the right to bring a claim from the day they start work.
- Fire and Rehire – It will become automatically unfair to dismiss an employee of refusing a contract variation unless the business can argue the reason is to prevent total business collapse.
- Zero Hour Contracts – Changes including that employers will be obliged to offer guaranteed hours and give reasonable notice of any shift and cancellation of shift to staff.
- Employer’s liability for Third Party Harassment – The Bill will place a duty on employers to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment, including harassment from Third Parties.
- Statutory Sick Pay – The Bill will remove the waiting period and lower earnings threshold for Statutory Sick Pay.
- Strengthened protections for pregnancy and new mothers – This will give employees who are pregnant, on a period of statutory family leave or new mothers returning to work enhanced protection against Unfair Dismissal.
- Paternity, Parental and Bereavement Leave Rights – This will become a ‘day one right’ for all employees. Those who can claim Bereavement Leave will be extended from ‘bereaved parents’ to ‘bereaved persons.’
- Extending Collective Redundancy Consultation Requirements – This will be triggered by redundancies across a whole business and not just a single establishment.
- Flexible Working Requests – Employers must be reasonable and explain the grounds for refusal.
With these changes expected, it is more important than ever that employers are fully aware of the law which affects how they operate their business.
Here at WBW Solicitors, our dedicated team can offer bespoke advice to meet your needs.
Our Employment Law Package offers custom Employment Law advice at a fixed fee for your business. The package includes reviewing policies and procedures in place in your workplace and drafting employment related letters and/or documents, such as Contracts of Employment and Staff Handbooks.
We also provide monthly bulletins to keep you informed about upcoming changes in employment law.
Please keep an eye out on our website as we will continue to provide updates on all employment law changes.
You can also receive more detailed advice and support with any changes and keep on top of Employment Law by joining our Employment Law Package.
