Understanding the Employment Rights Bill: What Employers Need to Know
The Employment Rights Bill is set to bring some of the most significant changes to UK employment law in recent years.
This is aimed at modernising the workplace and improving protections for workers from day one of their employment. The Bill will introduce a number of key reforms that will have an impact on how businesses recruit, manage and support their staff.
As a local employer, it is important to be aware of the upcoming changes so you can prepare effectively and to ensure continued compliance. Below are a few of the key features of the Bill.
1. Day One Rights for Workers
One of the central features of the Bill is the introduction of Day One Rights. This means that new recruits will be entitled to certain protections and benefits from the first day of their employment. These include (but are not limited to):
- The protection from unfair dismissal (with a few exceptions). At the moment, an employee generally must be continuously employed for two years;
- Eligibility for parental leave and pay;
- The right to request flexible working.
This marks a significant departure from the current qualifying periods for many employment rights and will require employers to update their recruitment and probationary procedures.
2. Strengthening Flexible Working Rights
The Bill will place great emphasis on flexible working as a default. Employees will be able to request this from day one of their employment. Employers will be required to consider requests within certain timescales and transparently. There will need to be good justification for refusals.
3. Establishing the Fair Work Agency
The Bill will introduce a Fair Work Agency. This will be a new regulatory body tasked with promoting fair treatment in the workplace, offering guidance to employers, and addressing issues within the workplace such as insecure work and underpayments.
The Agency will play a key role in enforcing compliance. Its aim will be to support both employers and employees.
4. Clarifying Discrimination Legislation
Employers should already be aware of their obligations not to discriminate against employees for a number of reasons. These laws are already well established. The Bill aims to strengthen these protections and ensure that employers are taking proactive steps to prevent issues such as these.
5. Supporting SMEs with Compliance
The Government has said it recognises that this will cause challenges to smaller businesses. The Government has pledged to provide accessible guidance and support to help SMEs implement these changes.
Early preparations will however be key to ensure practices and policies are up to date to ensure that your business is able to meet these new requirements.
How to Prepare
- Review current employment contracts and policies.
- Train managers on the new requirements.
- Be proactive in communicating changes with your staff.
- Stay up to date with the upcoming changes. The Bill is currently travelling through Parliament and is still subject to change.
To support local businesses, Brewer Harding and Rowe is holding a free Employment Law Seminar covering the above topics.
We are pleased to be joined by Karen Leigh the Owner and HR Driector of Peopling, a HR Solutions provider for small to mid-sized businesses who understand the need for sound policies and processes.
The details are as follows:
Date: 11 July 2025
Time: 10.00am – 1.00pm (09.30am for refreshments)
Venue: Park Hotel, Barnstaple
To book your free place, please email bideford.reception@bhrlaw.co.uk