Government announcement: Employment Rights Bill

Overview

The government has outlined the key points of the Employment Rights Bill which includes:

• day-one rights of employment and a maximum nine-month statutory probation period for new hires
• an end to exploitative zero-hours contracts and fire and rehire practices
• establishing day-one rights for paternity, parental, and bereavement leave and making flexible working the default where practical
• removal of the lower earnings limit and elimination of the waiting period before sick pay begins for statutory sick pay
• large employers must create action plans to address gender pay gaps and support employees through menopause
• increased protection for pregnant women and new mothers and strengthening protections against dismissal
• establishment of a new Fair Work Agency to enforce rights such as holiday pay and provide guidance to employers.

More detail will follow in relation to how and when these will be enacted, and some will involve consultation processes. We are monitoring these changes and how they will impact the NHS terms and conditions of service and employers. 

What do employers need to do

Whilst we are awaiting further details, employers should consider the following:

• Get up-to-date with the recent announcement.
• Keep an eye on any upcoming updates and timescales from the government.
• Consider how current policies and procedures may be impacted. 
• Consider the impact on any future policies being developed. 

We will update you further once we have more information, via our website and newsletters. 

Further information

You can find more information about the Employment Rights Bill on the GOV.UK website.