With a new government, potential changes to employment law are anticipated. Below are key reforms that may impact employers and employees:
These are the key employment law changes that are anticipated:
1. Single Worker Status:
Labour may create a unified status for all employees except the genuinely self-employed, ensuring equal rights such as sick pay, holiday pay, and protection against unfair dismissal.
2. Day One Rights:
All workers might receive rights from their first day, eliminating qualifying periods for basic protections, including unfair dismissal protection.
3. Ban on Zero Hours Contracts:
Labour could end zero-hours contracts, ensuring predictable work schedules and the right to a regular contract after twelve weeks.
4. Outlawing Fire and Rehire:
The practice of firing and rehiring on reduced terms may be banned, protecting labour from exploitation and ensuring fair negotiation of employment terms.
5. Strengthening Collective Rights:
Trade union legislation might be updated to facilitate worker organisation and effective trade union representation.
6. Flexible Working and Work-Life Balance:
Flexible working could become a default right from day one, with a ‘right to switch off’ outside working hours to maintain a work-life balance.
7. Enhanced Family-Friendly Rights:
Labour may extend maternity and paternity leave, introduce bereavement leave, and strengthen protections for pregnant workers.
8. Enforcing Workplace Safety:
A single enforcement body might be established to oversee workers’ rights and ensure safe working environments.
9. Redundancy and TUPE:
There will be strengthened consultation rights and protections during redundancy processes and transfers under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations. This means employees will have more say and better protection when companies undergo restructures or ownership changes.
The implication of changes for employers:
1. Policy Updates: Review and update dismissal and redundancy policies to comply with new laws.
2. Training: Train managers on new regulations to handle terminations and redundancies appropriately.
3. Employee Communication: Clearly communicate policy changes to employees to maintain trust and transparency.
At ABL Recruitment, we align with these potential reforms to support fair treatment and job security for all employees. Staying informed and implementing these changes will help employers ensure compliance and foster a supportive and stable work environment.
Stay connected with ABL Recruitment for detailed updates on these topics in our upcoming blog posts.
