New Government’s Legislative Agenda
The recent King’s Speech outlined the new government’s legislative agenda for the upcoming months. The Employment Rights Bill, expected to be introduced by October 2024, aims to implement Labour’s ‘New Deal for Working People.’ Key provisions of the Bill include:
- Zero Hours Contracts: A ban on zero hours contracts, ensuring workers have the right to a contract that reflects their regular working hours.
- End of ‘Fire and Rehire’ Practices: Replacing the statutory code to end the practices of ‘fire and rehire’ and ‘fire and replace.’
- Day One Protections: Making certain protections, including parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal, available from day one. Probation periods will be subject to special conditions.
- Statutory Sick Pay: Removing the lower earnings limit and waiting period for Statutory Sick Pay.
- Flexible Working: Offering flexible working to all workers as a default from day one, with employers required to accommodate this as far as reasonably possible.
- Protection for New Mothers: Ensuring women who have had a baby cannot be dismissed for six months after returning to work, with exceptions.
- Fair Work Agency: Creating a new agency to enforce workplace rights.
- Fair Pay Agreement: Introducing a fair pay agreement in the adult social care sector.
- Trade Union Rights: Simplifying the process for statutory recognition of trade unions and ensuring all workers have access to a union within workplaces.
Labour is targeting October 2024 to introduce the Bill. However, before becoming law, the Bill must pass through both houses of Parliament, a process that will take months. Even after the Bill is enacted, many measures will not take effect immediately, as they may require substantial secondary legislation or codes of practice. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.