Employment Law – Incoming Changes with our New Government

Our new government are committed to ‘Delivering a New Deal for Working People’.

As is expected with a change in government, there are many proposed changes and some of these proposals are closer to having an immediate impact than others.

It can feel overwhelming and confusing at a time of pivotal change to understand any new responsibilities.

Never fear – we are here to cut through the jargon and deliver the facts to you.

So, what changes can we expect?

In this blog, we take an overall view of the working population and the over-arching changes that are on the horizon for employers and employees.

As there are so many aspects to the ‘New Deal for Working People’, we’ve broken down this series of pledges for you.

Over the coming months, we’ll look at a range of other key aspects of Employment Law, so please do keep checking back for more essential information.

This breakdown highlights the range of key changes that Labour wish to make that will impact most employers.

Labour pledge:

• A single Enforcement Body which would address the whole spectrum of employer behaviour.
• To remove the lower earnings limit on statutory sick pay.
• To conduct a review of parental leave within the first year of a Labour government.
• To write to the Low Pay Commission to change its remit, requiring it to take account of the cost of living.
• To ban zero hours contracts and ensure everyone has the right to have a contract that reflects the number of hours they regularly work, based on a twelve-week reference period.
• To ensure all workers get reasonable notice of any change in shifts or working time, with compensation that is proportionate to the notice given for any shifts cancelled or curtailed.
• That workers will continue to have the right to be paid overtime rates as now.
• That they will not prevent employers from offering fixed-term contracts including seasonal work.
• That they will end ‘fire and rehire’ and ‘fire and replace’.
• That the New Deal will include rights from day one for all workers, ending the current system of up to two years wait to access rights of protection against unfair dismissal, or parental leave and sick pay.
• That they will ensure employers can continue to operate probationary periods to assess new hires.
• To move towards a single status of worker and transition towards a simpler two-part framework for employment status.
• To consult in detail on a simpler framework that differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed.
• To ensure that workers can benefit from flexible working where they choose to do so.
• To consider measures to provide accessible and authoritative information for people on their employment status and what rights they are owed.
• To strengthen redundancy rights and protections.
• To strengthen the existing set of rights and protections for workers subject to TUPE processes.
• To strengthen protections for whistleblowers, including by updating protections for women who report sexual harassment at work.
• To strengthen rights and protections to help self-employed workers thrive in good quality self-employment.
• To strengthen trade union rights that will also benefit self-employed workers.

One thing is clear from this summary – it’s more important than ever to stay on track with changes and act quickly where necessary, to offer fair and compliant employment within your business.

It’s also vital that changes are communicated effectively to employees so that any action required is conducted in a transparent and informed manner.

If you’ve got a question about this or any employment law issue or are worried about how these new changes will impact your business, get in touch.

Our specialist, Clare Thomas is on hand to help and ensure that your business remains compliant. You can contact her on 01782 200500 or email [email protected].