The King’s Speech on Wednesday 17th July set out Labour’s legislative agenda.

One of the key employment law measures is the Employment Rights Bill, which is expected to be introduced within the first 100 days of the Government taking office.

According to the background briefing notes on the Kings Speech, which was published by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Employment Rights Bill will include:

• ‘Day one’ rights (subject to probationary periods to assess new hires) in relation to parental leave, sick pay and protection from unfair dismissal.
• Banning ‘exploitative’ zero-hours contracts, ensuring workers have a right to a contract which reflects the number of hours they regularly work. All workers to get reasonable notice for any changes in shifts with proportionate compensation for any shifts cancelled or curtailed.
• Reforming the law by ending the practice of ‘fire and rehire’ and providing effective remedies and replacing the previous Governments statutory code of practice.
• Making flexible working the default from day one for all workers and requiring employers to accommodate this as far as is reasonable.
• Statutory sick pay – removing the lower earnings limit as well as the three-day waiting period.
• New mothers – making it unlawful to dismiss a woman who has had a baby for six months after she returns to work, except in specific circumstances.
• Establishing a Fair Pay Agreement in the adult social care sector.
• Establishing a new Single Enforcement Body, also known as a Fair Work Agency, to strengthen enforcement of workplace rights.
• Updating trade union legislation to remove unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity.
• Simplifying the process of statutory recognition for trade unions & introducing a regulated route to ensure workers and union members have a reasonable right to access a union within workplaces.
• Reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, in order to establish national terms and conditions, career progression routes and fair pay rates.

In addition to the above, a draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill aims to enshrine in law the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities and disabled people. This bill will also introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay reporting for employers with 250 plus employees to help with closing the pay gaps in relation to ethnicity and disability.

Follow our LinkedIn page as we will send out further updates once the details have been confirmed, as well as the proposed implementation dates of any changes.

If you need advice on any of these changes or employment law in general, get in touch with Rajveer Basra at RajveerBasra@schofieldsweeney.co.uk.