The United Kingdom’s Labour Party has committed to introduce the new Employment Rights Bill 2024 within 100 days of its coming to power, which was confirmed in a first-of-its-kind meeting on 14 August 2024 between government, unions and business leaders to discuss workers’ rights.
Suzy Hollingsworth Assoc CIPD, Payroll/HR Solutions Manager of AP Group Payroll & HR Services, commented, “At this meeting, delegates agreed to collaborate to help the Government kickstart the UK’s economic growth though the Plan to Make Work Pay.”
This initiative promises better working conditions for British workers. Said Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, “Our Plan to Make Work Pay will bring together workers and businesses, both big and small and across different industries, for the good of the economy. This first-of-its-kind meeting has kicked off a new era of partnerships that will bring benefits to everyone across the country striving to build a better life.”
These are the changes that the Bill is due to bring about:
Exploitative zero-hour contracts will be banned, ensuring workers have a right to a contract that reflects the number of hours they regularly work and that all workers get reasonable notice of any changes in shift with proportionate compensation for any shifts cancelled or curtailed. This will end “one-sided” flexibility, ensuring all jobs provide a baseline level of security and predictability.
The scourges of “Fire and Rehire” and “Fire and Replace” will be ended by reforming the law to provide effective remedies and replacing the previous Government’s statutory code.
Parental leave, sick pay and protection from unfair dismissal will be available from day one on the job for all workers. Employers will continue to be able to operate probationary periods to assess new hires.
Statutory sick pay will be strengthened by removing the lower earnings limit to make it available to all workers as well as removing the three-day waiting period.
Flexible working will become the default from day one for all workers, with employers required to accommodate this as far as is reasonable to reflect the modern workplace.
Protections for new mothers will be strengthened by making it unlawful for employers to dismiss a woman who has had a baby for six months after her return to work, except in specific circumstances.
A new Single Enforcement Body, also known as a Fair Work Agency, will be established to strengthen enforcement of workplace rights.
A Fair Pay Agreement will be established in the adult social care sector to assess, following review, how and to what extent such agreements could benefit other sectors.
The School Support Staff Negotiating Body will be reinstated to establish national terms and conditions, career progression routes and fair pay rates.
Trade union legislation will be updated to make it fit for a modern economy, by removing unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity – including the previous Government’s approach to minimum service levels – and ensuring industrial relations are based around good faith negotiation and bargaining.
The process of statutory recognition will be simplified and a regulated route will be introduced to ensure workers and union members have a reasonable right to access a union within workplaces.
As Gina Le Prevost FIRP DipRP, AP Group CEO notes, “Before becoming law, the Employment Rights Bill 2024 will need to go through both Houses of Parliament and may be amended as it progresses. AP Group Payroll & HR Services is monitoring the progress of this Bill and will bring you updates as and when they become available.”
For further information please visit www.apgroupglobal.com or call Suzy on +44 1481 743072 or email her at suzy.hollingsworth@apgroupglobal.com.
