A waiter sets the table in the City of London, England.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
LONDON – British employees will receive a range of employment benefits, including stronger rights to sick pay and paternity leave from their first day on the job, under flagship legislation tabled by the new Labor government on Thursday.
Key measures of the Employment Rights Act include preventing unfair dismissal from the start of a new position and introducing a statutory probationary period for all new employees. In addition, it provides for many workers on zero-hours contracts to be given the right to enter guaranteed hours contracts and requires companies to make flexible working a default where possible.
Workers are also eligible for unpaid parental leave or bereavement leave from the first day of employment and statutory sick leave from the first day of unwellness (rather than the fourth day). Pregnant women and new mothers will have stronger protection against dismissal.
The government said it would also “close the loopholes that allow bullying dismissals, rehires, dismissals and substitutions to continue”. “Fire and rehire” refers to the practice of firing employees and rehiring them on new terms.
Details of the bill were released by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office on Thursday and are subject to debate and approval by the British Parliament. It is one of the first major pieces of legislation to be introduced by the Labor government that took office in July. Starmer and Finance Secretary Rachel Reeves are also preparing to deliver their first budgets at the end of this month.
“Take a step forward”
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, the UK’s largest union, called the changes a “step forward” and praised the end of so-called “minimum service levels” that forced some key workers to join strike action Provide a minimum level of service during this period.
However, Graham said the bill would not completely ban “fire and hire” practices and zero-hours contracts, which she said would continue to be used by “hostile employers.”
Graham added: “The bill also fails to give workers a meaningful right to join unions and negotiate wages, which would put more money in their pockets and in turn help the economy grow.”
Meanwhile, the Federation of Small Businesses, a trade group, believes employers will be “scrabbled” to make sense of the changes and will increase the risks they take on new employees, undermining recruitment, growth and investment.
“Small companies are most likely to offer opportunities to those who have been away from the labor force, such as those returning after long-term health problems or caring responsibilities. This legislation may deter small employers from taking chances on those who have had significant past experiences. FSB policy chair Tina McKenzie said in a statement:
About The Author
