Employment Law has in recent years been changing quite quickly and in some cases significantly.
Under the new Labour Government that is set to continue, as today Keir Starmer’s Government unveils the Employment Rights Bill, which boldly promises to be a “once in a generation” reform, that will “redress the relationship” between the people and their employers.
All strong words, fighting talk, and an extension of the manifesto promise that brought Labour into power earlier in the year, but what does that actually mean?
There are a total of 28 changes proposed but the main ones are:
At this stage it is too early to know.
The Bill is only just being proposed and before it can be passed as an Act into law it will undergo various readings and debates in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
There will almost certainly be a significant number of amendments to a bill, which proposes to be radical.
It is clear that in some instances there has yet to be a consultation, which the Government will have to consider before it seeks to flesh out its proposals and what they may look like.
As with all legislation, the true extent of the effect and nature will only be known once the full detail of the final legislation can be considered.
At this stage employers should of course be aware that, in the words of Bob Dylan, “times they are a changing”, and that significant changes in the employment landscape have already been set in progress.
As such, employers should begin considering their employment practices and thinking about changes that they may need to be making within their business.
However, these changes are not immediately imminent, and even by some of the Government statements this morning, it appears that it is not intended that some of these changes will not come into force until 2026.
If you have any Employment Law concerns or wish to discuss issues either that you might have or which may be on the horizon, our Employment Law team are on hand to discuss matters.
Our Employment Law team is headed up by Jason Alcock, a Solicitor who has been practicing in the Employment Law field for over 16 years, and Director in the Firm. He, and his team can be reached either on 01543 263456, or by email. Contact us today for support.