UK Employment Rights are changing
The UK Government has tabled many amendments to the Employment Rights Bill following its responses to consultations last year.
The components of the proposed amendments are:
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- Support with Tribunal Cases: introduce new powers for the Government to bring tribunal proceedings on behalf of workers and provide or arrange for legal assistance or representation for workers involved in civil or tribunal proceedings.
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- Day one right to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): with those on low wages receiving either 80% of their average weekly earnings or the current rate of SSP, whichever is lower. All workers will be entitled to SSP for the very first time. Workers will also have the right to SSP from the first day of sickness absence.
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- Trade Union Empowerment: changes are proposed to increase trade union rights on the areas of recognition, industrial action and access to the workplace.
- Protective award for collective redundancy: increasing the maximum period of the protective award in collective redundancy and “fire and re-hire” situations from 90 days to 180 days
- Guaranteed hours Contracts: to extend zero-hours contracts measures to agency workers, including
- the right to a guaranteed-hours contract which reflects the hours they regularly work,
- the right to payment for shifts cancelled, moved or curtailed at short notice.
- the right to reasonable notice for the cancelling, changing or curtailment of shifts
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Although these amendments are proposals at this stage, they have been put forward to the House of Commons.
The Bill will need to pass the remaining parliamentary process before becoming law.