It’s a week since Labour won the General Election and major employment law changes are coming our way!

They have made over 60 HR / employment law pledges, but don’t panic, we are here to help you navigate the changes that will be taking place.

What is the 100 day pledge?
This means Labour will introduce legislation for a significant number of these proposed changes to parliament within 100 days, by 25th October 2024. This will apply to almost all the HR promises with very few exceptions, these new rights will mean new policies, contracts and procedures.

This is the start of the journey for this new legislation to become statute, there will be delays etc. as always as new legislation makes its way through the parliamentary system. The Labour party have acknowledged that some steps may take longer to implement. As each new piece of legislation is updated, we will be keeping you informed through our regular employment law updates.

So, in a nutshell, what do the changes mean for you? 

  • Day-one Rights: A plan to implement basic rights from your first day of employment – claim for unfair dismissal, sick pay and parental leave.
  • Equal Status for all workers: Workers and Employees under the same umbrella.  Everyone will enjoy the same basic rights and protections regardless of how they are referred to.
  • Strengthened Worker Protections: Enhanced rights for pregnant workers, whistleblowers, and those facing redundancy.  Employers strengthening their support of terminally ill workers – outlined through the “Dying to Work” charter.
  • Written contracts for the Self-Employed: Providing Self-Employed individuals with a written contract.
  • Higher wages for all: Removal of age-related pay bands and further consideration of the Living wage as a standard wage.  Travel time and “sleep over” hours will be remunerated in sectors like social care.
  • Better sick pay: Available from day one with no waiting days and fair earnings replacement
  • Fair tips for Hospitality Workers: Hospitality workers will receive their tips in full, and the employees will be responsible for deciding how they should be shared amongst the team.
  • Closing Pay Gaps: Firms with over 250 employees will be required to publish ethnicity and disability pay gaps.
  • Harassment-Free Workplaces: Employers will need to ensure that their workplaces are free from harassment, including from third parties – customers/suppliers etc.
  • Flexible Working for Everyone: Flexible working will be the default from day one, unless it is not reasonably feasible for business purposes.
  • Family-Friendly Policies: Parental leave to become a day-one right.  Introduction of new rights for bereavement leave and further protections for pregnant employees.
  • Strengthened Support for Carers: A review of carer’s leave with the introduction of paid leave.
  • Fair Zero-Hours Contracts: After 12 weeks of regular hours, an employer will need to provide the worker with a contract that adequately reflects those hours.  Plus, fair notice of shift changes and compensation for cancelled shifts.
  • Fire and Re-hire Protections: Stronger consultation procedures and better protections against unfair dismissal and redundancy.
  • Focus on Wellbeing: Enhanced consideration and support for workers’ physical and mental health, including those workers with Long Covid.
  • Menopause Support: Employers with over 250 employees will need to create Menopause Action Plans but it will be best practice for all Employers to consider this.
  • Right to Disconnect: Introducing a new right to switch off and protection from remote surveillance.
  • AI and Tech in the Workplace: Collaborating with experts to understand AI’s impact on jobs and skills.
  • Stronger Trade Union Laws: Easier to recognize what union to contact, better protection for union reps, and inform workers of their union rights in contracts.
  • Enforcement of Rights: Extending the time limit for employment tribunal claims to six months and establishing a single enforcement body for worker rights.

So how do you ensure you are Legally compliant?

At SYLO Beyond HR, we can support you and your business to ensure that any changes you need to make are consistent and right for your business. 

  • Create new contracts
  • Update existing contracts
  • Create new policies
  • Update existing policies
  • Understand new / amended procedures
  • Train your managers to confidentially manage new rights

If you’d like to know more, please email us at enquiries@sylobeyondhr.com