Employment Rights Bill Unveiled
The Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill to Parliament, describing it as the "biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation". It contains 28 reforms which increase protection for workers, including:
- ‘Day one’ protections ‐ The existing two‐year qualifying period for protection against unfair dismissal will be removed and workers will be entitled to paternity, parental and bereavement leave from their first day on the job
- Probation ‐ There will be a new statutory probation period for new hires
- Flexible working ‐ Flexible working will become the default for all employees, unless an employer can prove it is unreasonable
- Sick pay ‐ There will be a universal entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay from the first day of illness
- Pregnancy protections ‐ Women will be protected from dismissal whilst pregnant, on maternity leave and within six months of returning to work
- Zero‐hour contracts ‐ Workers will have the right to a guaranteed hours contract if they work regular hours over a defined period
The Government has confirmed that further detail on many of the policies in the Bill will be provided through regulations, and in some cases codes of practice, after the Bill has received Royal Assent. The Government will begin consulting on these reforms in 2025, with the majority expected to come into force from autumn 2026.
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