Employment Rights Bill

Introduced into Parliament on 10 October 2024, this Bill is the first phase of the government's Plan to Make Work Pay and introduces 28 employment law reforms. Key among these are the removal of the qualifying period for bringing an unfair dismissal claim, introducing a new trigger for collective consultation, introducing new rights for zero and low hours workers and significantly limiting the ability of employers to fire and re-hire.

The Bill seeks to overhaul existing employment laws and is designed to improve workers' rights and ensure fair treatment in the workplace.

As the Bill has passed through Parliament, numerous amendments have been proposed; the most notable of which is to increase the time limit for bringing employment tribunal claims from three to six months. This change alone signifies the government's commitment to providing workers with ample time to seek justice and resolve disputes.  However, as with many other elements of the Bill, this proposal will need secondary legislation to bring it into force and, so far, the government has not provided a timescale for when this might take place.

This hub is a one-stop-shop for everything any HR professional needs to know to navigate these historic changes.

Employment Rights Bill Parliamentary tracker