ERB changes alert

Today marks a major turning point for employment law in the UK as the Government publishes the long-awaited Employment Rights Bill. The bill introduces the most significant reforms in employment law in recent years, aiming to modernise workplace practices and boost productivity. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has called it the "biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation."

Here are the 28 key reforms?included in the bill in case you've fallen into a Netflix binge coma:

1. Day-one rights?for unfair dismissal, paternity, parental, and bereavement leave, eliminating the two-year qualifying period.
2. Flexible working?to be the default option unless employers can justify otherwise.
3. Ban on exploitative zero-hour contracts, with employers required to offer guaranteed hours based on a 12-week reference period.
4. Financial compensation?for workers on zero-hours contracts if shifts are cancelled at short notice.
5. Ban on "fire and rehire" practices?that force workers to accept new, often worse, terms.
6. Statutory sick pay?from the first day of illness, removing the previous three-day waiting period.
7. New minimum wage adjustments?accounting for the cost of living and removal of discriminatory age bands.
8. Nine-month statutory probation period, which is expected to ease some dismissal processes for employers.
9. Creation of the Fair Work Agency?to enforce rights like holiday pay and statutory sick pay.
10. Strengthened protections for pregnant women?and new mothers against dismissal, including six months of protection after returning to work.
11. Action plans for large employers?to address gender pay gaps.
12. Right to "switch off", preventing employers from contacting workers outside of working hours, except in emergencies.
13. Enhanced reporting requirements?for large employers on ethnicity and disability pay gaps.
14. Expanded parental and carers’ leave?to better meet the needs of workers and their families.
15. Review of statutory maternity and paternity pay?for future potential adjustments.
16. End to loopholes?that allow employers to replace workers under poor conditions post-dismissal.
17. Guaranteed paid bereavement leave?to support workers dealing with family loss.
18. Revisions to family rights legislation?to better support working parents.
19. Stronger anti-discrimination measures, specifically focusing on pay disparities.
20. New support for employees going through menopause, ensuring gender-sensitive workplace policies.
21. Consultations on simplifying employment status categories, reducing worker classifications to two tiers.
22. Clearer regulations on flexible working requests, improving employer responsiveness.
23. New worker protection enforcement?mechanisms to simplify reporting and compliance.
24. Consultations on improving statutory holiday pay, especially for part-time and contract workers.
25. Ban on age-based wage discrimination?in pay bands for younger workers.
26. New resources for small businesses?to ensure compliance with updated employment law.
27. Revised workplace policies for carers, ensuring they are not penalised for caregiving responsibilities.
28. Commitment to ongoing consultations?for further reforms to ensure the laws remain relevant in a changing economy.

These reforms reflect a seismic shift in how employment law supports both workers and businesses. They aim to address outdated policies, improve job security and adapt to the needs of a modern workforce......apparently.?

I am less convinced they will work for small businesses who aren't always large enough to have HR teams, so for those reading this, getting touch with me and I'll help you navigate the changes when they arrive at the door.

Ding ding....all change...mind the gap!