What Employees Need To Know
Since October 2024, the world of employment in the UK has been destined to undergo a radical change.
The Employment Rights Bill was proposed, and the aim of this bill is to protect the rights of workers across the UK, rolling back outdated employment practices and seeking to defend the rights of the average working-class person.
Of course, the newspapers and the news itself will only cover certain parts of this, and, if you are not a fan of watching parliamentary television, you may be wondering how these changes may impact you and your job.
The History of the Bill
The bill was proposed in October 2024 and, at the time of writing, it has now been through the third reading in the House of Lords, with any amendments pending.
This means that it only has two more stages to go through, with the last one being Royal Assent, before it becomes law.
The aim of the bill was simple: to reduce the rise in insecure working for people in the UK, getting rid of zero-hour contracts, making it harder for employers to dismiss staff unfairly, and rolling out parental leave rights, as well as bereavement leave.
Another aim is to also improve access to statutory sick pay, meaning that many small to medium-sized businesses may require external help with updating their employment contracts for current and new staff, leaning into HR companies like the HR Dept to get their practices up to speed.
So, what does all this mean for workers?
Statutory Sick Pay
One of the main areas of reform proposed by this bill is around Statutory Sick Pay, or SSP.
Under the current system, there is a three-day waiting period for staff members to get access to SSP, and if they are new in a workplace, they may need to pass probation or another set period of employment to gain access to SSP.
The Employment Rights Bill will remove the three-day waiting period to claim SSP and will make it eligible for all members of staff, even those who are brand new to a workplace, to get access to it. It also seeks to remove the Lower Earnings Limit, so staff who receive all levels of pay in a company will be eligible for SSP.
The current aim is for this change to come into effect in April 2026, at the time of writing.
Parental Leave/ Maternity Leave
For parents or parents-to-be, this bill aims to start a day one entitlement for staff to get statutory paternity leave and unpaid parental leave from the first day of employment. This removes the qualifying period of 26 weeks and the one year for unpaid parental leave.
This bill will also allow employees to take paternity leave and pay after having taken shared parental leave. For maternity leave, the bill will strengthen the protection against dismissal from employers during this time, ensuring greater job security.
This bill will also allow bereavement leave for maternal loss. This will be based on pregnancies lost before 24 weeks and will allow for at least one week of paid leave for both partners.
Zero Hours Contracts
The main change for workers is the overhaul of zero-hour contracts. The bill seeks to remove them altogether, and once the staff member has been working at a company for 12 weeks, they will have the right to request more hours without being dismissed.
Employers also have to provide reasonable notice for shifts and changes. If a shift is cancelled, the staff member will have the right to a short notice payment.
Other Areas The Bill Aims To Overhaul
There are some other areas that the bill also wants to overturn, with the aim of making employment equal for workers.
These areas include the following-
Flexible Working- There will be an aim for employers to default to flexible working and for staff to request flexible working. If this is refused, employers must provide a legitimate reason.
Harassment Protections– There will be stricter obligations on employers to protect their staff from harassment in the workplace relating to customers, clients, or other staff members.
Trade Unions– The bill allows for staff across the UK to form trade unions and to have access to information relating to redundancy, dismissal, and discrimination.
So, there you have it. If you have concerns about any of the potential upcoming changes to your employment contract, you can ask your employer about how these will impact your role. Alternatively, you can seek advice from an employment solicitor to help clarify your situation relating to this bill.