Changes to Employment Law after the General Election

There are considerable changes on the horizon to Employment Law after a change in Government at the General Election on 4 July 2024.

Whilst we are still waiting for the precise details, the Labour Party have made several pledges prior to the Election and in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024 as to likely changes to Employment Law.

These changes include, but are not limited to the following:

• Employees will be given the right not to be unfairly dismissed from their first day of employment, subject to special rules for probationary periods;
• Preventing the dismissal of those returning from maternity leave for six months after their return, apart from in specific circumstances;
• Banning ‘exploitative’ zero-hours contracts and bringing in a new right for workers to request a contract that reflects hours that are regularly worked;
• Ensuring workers are provided with reasonable notice of the times they are required to work and if shifts are cancelled, for them to be provided with compensation proportionate to the notice given;
• Bereavement leave to be introduced for all workers;
• Strengthening the right to request flexible working to ensure flexibility is genuinely the default from day one and requiring employers to accommodate this, apart from where this is not reasonably feasible;
• Introducing a ‘right to switch off’ to ensure that workers are not routinely contacted by their employer or required to work outside of their normal hours;
• Removing the waiting period for statutory sick pay meaning that this would need to be paid from day one of any period of sickness (rather than day four) and removing the lower earnings limit so that even low earners qualify for statutory sick pay;
• Ensuring workers receive their tips in full;
• Introducing an explicit ban on unpaid internships apart from where this is part of an established training or education program;
• Require employers to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to stop sexual harassment including where harassment is by customers / third parties;
• Creating the Fair Work Agency to enforce workplace rights.

Whilst we are waiting for more information as to the changes and when these will need to be implemented, it is important that you start thinking ahead and be prepared for the rigorous changes to Employment Law now.

Please do get in touch with our Specialist Employment Solicitor Lisa Aitken on 07960 469988 or email: LisaA@moore-tibbits.co.uk if you would like to discuss how any of this will impact upon your organisation and how to best plan for these changes.