Employment Rights Bill In Brief

11th October 2024

As part of the plans, the existing two-year qualifying period for protections from unfair dismissal will be removed.

However, workers will be subject to a proposed nine-month probation period when they can still be sacked without a full process.

If a worker is sacked within those nine months, it is unclear under what circumstances they can make a claim for unfair dismissal and when they cannot.

Statutory sick pay (SSP): Workers will be entitled to SSP, external from the first day they are ill, rather than the fourth day

Lower earnings limit for SSP: Currently, workers earning less than £123 per week cannot claim SSP. This limit will be removed but the bill will set out a lesser level of sick pay for lower earners

Paternity leave: Fathers or partners to be eligible from day one of employment, instead of 26 weeks

Unpaid parental leave: Parents to be eligible from day one of employment, instead of one year

Unpaid bereavement leave: To become a "day one" right for workers

Flexible working: Bosses will be expected to consider any flexible working requests made from day one, and say yes unless they can prove it is unreasonable. There are eight grounds they could give for refusing a request, relating to impact on the business.

For much more see - Unveils Most Significant Reforms To Employment Rights