As we have previously advised, the government has today published the Employment Rights Bill, marking the start of its employment law reform programme. It’s important to remember this is just the start of the proposal to reform employment law. There is no need to panic. 
 
The Employment Rights Bill is a proposal is a proposal to change an existing law, presented for debate before Parliament. The Bill must be approved in the same form by both Houses, before becoming an Act (law) and this process has multiple stages which can take months to progress. The second stage will not take place until 21 October 2024. 
 
That said, as with most things in business and in life, it can pay to think ahead.... 
The Employment Rights Bill includes 
 
provision to amend the law relating to employment rights (including changes to the “two-year rule”, zero-hour contracts, and day one rights). 
provision about procedure for handling redundancies. 
provision about the treatment of workers involved in the supply of services under certain public contracts. 
duties to be imposed on employers in relation to equality.  
the establishment of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body and the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body. 
provision about trade unions, industrial action, employers’ associations and the functions of the Certification Officer. 
provision about the enforcement of legislation relating to the labour market; and for connected purposes. 
 
Some of these changes are significant, but the reforms are proposals and are still being debated. It is unclear how some will work in practice. We will provide further information as the proposed Employment Rights Bill progresses. 
 
In the meantime, our advice is the same – ensure that your HR policies are updated robust, understood, and consistently followed. The key to this is ensuring all your managers are trained and capable in dealing with employee matters and seek external specialist support when you need it. Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.  
 
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