On 10 October 2024, and, as promised, just within the first 100 days of their appointment, the UK government introduced a new Employment Rights Bill.
The Bill is phase one of the government’s plan to ‘Make Work Pay’, and it was published alongside its ‘Next Steps to Make Work Pay’ document. Together they outline far-reaching proposals to reshape UK employment protection for the benefit of employees and Trade Unions, as well as setting out plans for further reforms to come.
The government promises a consultation on the more radical elements of the Bill, such as the provision of “day 1 unfair dismissal rights” and a ban on “fire and rehire” to commence in 2025. They have also confirmed that these reforms will not come into effect any sooner than Autumn 2026. For employers, there is a window of opportunity to engage and comment on the impact for business and future growth.
To assist, our employment team has put together a guide on the Bill’s wide-ranging proposals and sets out the expected impact on employers. We hope this will also help employers to prepare and train in advance for the new rules before they take effect in 2026.
To discuss how we can support you, please get in touch with a member of our employment team.
