Changes to employment law expected before the end of 2024

The government has issued guidance for employers and employees in regard to dismissal and re-engagement (fire and rehire) practices. However, under the new Labour Government Labour pledged to end “fire and rehire” except where there was genuinely no alternative. The Employment Rights Bill is expected to be introduced within the 100 days of the Labour Government.

In the King’s Speech 2024, the government committed to deliver in full on the policies set out in the Plan to Make Work Pay, with the policies requiring primary legislation to be contained within an Employment Rights Bill which is expected within the first 100 days of the Labour Government. This suggested that protection from unfair dismissal would become a “day one” right. However, this has not been explicitly confirmed.

The Worker Protection (Amendment of the Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 shall come into effect on 26 October 2024 and will introduce the duty on employers to ‘take reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, to third parties. The Act also gives employment tribunals the power to uplift sexual harassment compensation by up to 25% where an employer is found to have breached the new duty to prevent sexual harassment.

In the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024 an Employment Rights Bill was announced to contain the primary legislation required to deliver Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay: Delivering A New deal for Working People in which Labour pledged to ban exploitative zero hours contracts, and introduce compensation (payable by an employer) in the event that shifts are cancelled or hours changed with short notice and the right to contracts that reflect the number of hours regularly worked. The Employment Rights Bill will be introduced within the first 100 days of the Labour Government (before 12 October 2024).

The Bullying and Respect at Work Bill has been presented with the aim to provide greater protection for employers and workers from bullying in the workplace. This would likely include to provide for a statutory definition of bullying at work; to make provision relating to bullying at work, including to enable claims relating to workplace bullying to be considered by an employment tribunal; to provide for a Respect at Work Code to set minimum standards for positive and respectful work environments; to give powers to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to investigate workplaces and organisations where there is evidence of a culture of, or multiple incidents of, bullying and to take enforcement action; and for connected purposes.

The Bill is in it’s early stages and had its first reading in the House of Commons on 11 December 2023.

The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 grants provisions to parents of children less than 28 days old that are admitted to hospital for longer than a week. This includes the maximum 12 weeks of leave paid at the statutory rate, on top of any maternity and paternity leave. These new statutory entitlements are expected to take effect in April 2025.  What is the Neonatal Care Bill?