11 changes to employment law that you should know about

Is your business ready for the proposed employment law reforms?

From mid-October 2024, the UK Employment Law landscape is set to undergo significant reforms, directly affecting employers and employees across all sectors. With these changes on the horizon, it’s essential for businesses to stay ahead of the curve. Here at Gattaca Solutions we’re dedicated to demystifying anything that might affect your workforce and to help you navigate these updates, ensuring compliance and safeguarding your operations.

The new government plans to have the draft legislation prepared within the first 100 days after being elected (around October 12th), followed by a consultation period that could last three months or longer.

So what are the proposed changes and what do they mean for your business?

11 upcoming changes you should be aware of

1. New “Day 1” Rights

It’s been proposed that employees will soon gain rights from their very first day of employment, including protection against unfair dismissal, sick pay, and parental leave. This could have a major impact on your hiring practices and probationary periods.

2. Reforming Employment Status

It has also been floated that the government is working towards simplifying the current three-tier system of employment status, combining “employee” and “worker” into a single category with unified rights. This could reshape how businesses manage contracts and worker protections.

3. Flexible Working as a Default Right

If the government’s proposals are approved flexible working is set to become a default right, unless employers can provide valid reasons to refuse. This will likely influence workforce management and office policies.

4. Extension of Tribunal Claim Deadlines

It looks as if time limits for Employment Tribunal claims will increase from three to six months. This extends the period for potential disputes, making it more important to resolve issues early.

5. Ban on Zero-Hours Contracts

It’s thought that while zero-hours contracts won’t be entirely banned, “exploitative” uses of such contracts will be outlawed. The government aims to introduce more certainty and fairness for workers, which may require contract revisions.

6. Ending Fire and Re-Hire Practices

The use of fire-and-rehire tactics to modify employment terms is being targeted for an outright ban. If this legislation goes through employers must consider alternative methods for contract changes.

7. Right to Disconnect

A proposed “right to switch off” outside working hours mirrors trends across Europe, and it may require businesses to rethink after-hours communication and employee work-life balance.

8. Enhanced Collective Consultation Rights

New suggested rules will shift the trigger for redundancy consultations, counting the total number of redundancies across a business rather than per establishment.

9. New Bereavement Leave Rights

There are plans to extend unpaid bereavement leave beyond the current provisions for parents, ensuring broader support for employees in times of loss.

10. Pay Gap Reporting and Equal Pay Rights

It’s thought that larger businesses will need to report on ethnicity and disability pay gaps, with new statutory rights aiming to close these gaps across the workforce.

11. Stronger Protection Against Sexual Harassment

The new Worker Protection Bill will strengthen employer duties to prevent harassment in the workplace, with Tribunals empowered to increase compensation for non-compliance.

How can we help?

These changes bring both challenges and opportunities for businesses. While the full roadmap and deadlines are yet to be confirmed, we’ll be updating this page with the latest information, practical tools, and case studies as the rollouts unfold. Our goal is to help you stay informed, prepared, and fully compliant, while protecting your workforce throughout the transition.

Join us at our event – Employment Law: What’s Changing and How It Affects You

Date: 6th November, 2024

Location: Gattaca Plc, MYO Bankside, London

Our expert speakers, Sian Hoare, Legal Director at Shoosmiths LLP, and Kate Shoesmith, Deputy CEO of the REC, will address the top employment law concerns on the minds of HR leaders, including:

• Will ‘day one’ rights for unfair dismissal increase tribunal claims, and what can be done to mitigate the risk?
• What is the current duty on employers to stop sexual harassment, and how might Labour enhance this? What steps are other employers taking to prepare?
• How will Labour’s proposed changes to flexible working and family-friendly rights impact employers?

This is a unique opportunity to gain insights from two of the UK’s leading employment law specialists and to network with your peers.

Reserve your spot today and ensure your organisation is prepared for the future of employment law.

RSVP here>>