New laws bring the world of work into the 21st century
More than 15 million people across the UK are expected to benefit.
More than 15 million people across the UK are expected to benefit as a result of the the Employment Rights Act receiving Royal Assent last month.
The Act will introduce additions and amendments to existing legislation, including the Employment Rights Act 1996. The changes will come into effect over the next two years.
They include:
- Protection from unfair dismissal will become a right after six months of being in a job, instead of two years
- New rules to limit ‘fire and rehire’ practices
- The right to guaranteed hours for workers on zero hours contracts
- Statutory sick pay will be paid from the first day of illness
- Whistleblowing protection for disclosing sexual harassment at work
- Proactive duty on employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and obligations to prevent employees from third-party harassment
- Paternity leave will become a day-one right instead of needing to work for an employer for 26 weeks
- Stronger protections against dismissal for pregnant workers and those returning from maternity leave
- New rules around trade unions’ right to access workplaces to meet and support workers, and simplified rules for trade unions to negotiate with employers over pay and conditions.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) said that employers should consider the impact of these changes on their organisation. ACAS has resources offering support:
- Watch its Employment Rights Act webinar
- Sign up to ACAS’s newsletter
- Book on an ACAS employment law masterclass (Thursday 5 March)
- Book ACAS training on paternity and parental leave changes (various dates)
Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the TUC, said: “The Employment Rights Act represents the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in a generation. It will deliver common sense changes like banning exploitative zero hours contracts, protecting workers from harassment and sick pay for all – and so much more.
“These are hard-won rights that the union movement and workers have long campaigned for. For too long, we have lagged behind our European counterparts on workers’ rights. This legislation takes us closer to the mainstream.”
A list of stakeholder reactions spanning the business community, trade union movement and wider civil society is available here.
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