Employment Rights Bill

In the King’s Speech in Parliament on 17th July 2024 a series of legislative measures including the Employment Rights Bill were announced. Under Labour’s 2024 election manifesto and in the ‘Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay’ it outlined proposals to be included in the Employment Rights Bill. Whilst the precise contents of the Bill will not be confirmed until it is published it is thought to include changes such as:

• “day one” right not be to unfairly dismissed;
• Imposing a ban on unpaid internships;
• Increased pay gap reporting particularly (to include ethnicity and disability, as well as gender);
• Statutory sick pay from the first day of sickness; and
• Extending Employment Tribunal claim limitation periods.

This Bill is thought to be published on or around 12 October 2024 which would mark 100 days since Labour entered government. However, due to the process of passing Bills through Parliament, it is unlikely that we will see any changes before 2025.