In line with its implementation roadmap, the UK government has started to issue consultations in relation to some of the reforms contained in the Employment Rights Bill. It has kicked off with four new consultations covering:
- Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers
- The right of trade unions to access workplaces
- The duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union
- Bereavement leave, including pregnancy loss
The first one will be of most interest and concern to employers, bringing with it yet further potential changes to the test for unfair dismissal – this time for a specific group of employees.
In this note we highlight the key points to be aware of.
Employment Rights Bill Update: On 28 October, the House of Lords failed to agree to the latest version of the Bill and in fact proposed further changes, some of which were previously rejected by the House of Commons (including a proposal to introduce a six-month qualifying period for unfair dismissal, as opposed to ‘Day One’ rights). This means we remain in ‘parliamentary ping pong’, with the Bill now passing back to the House of Commons for further consideration. No details yet on when this will happen. Only once agreement has been reached on the terms of the Bill will it receive Royal Assent and become an Act of Parliament. We will of course keep you updated.
