Answering your questions about the new employment rights

  • Employment Law
Downing street
Peninsula Logo

Peninsula Team, Peninsula Team

(Last updated )

As the UK’s newly elected government, the Labour Party has promised to overhaul the world of employment law...

Labour put change at the heart of their election campaign and the new number 10 has promised to enhance existing staff rights, as well as change the bulk of HR and Health & Safety legislation currently in place.

And with their commitment to introducing new laws to Parliament within 100 days, the countdown is on…

What did the King say about new employment rights?

Broadcast live from the House of Lords on Wednesday 17th July, King Charles III spoke of Labour’s plans to create “a new deal for working people”.

He added that the new government would “ban exploitative practices and enhance employment rights”.

In the King’s speech, we heard that we could expect not one but two employment law bills. This includes a new Employment Rights Bill and a draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. For the latter, Labour will publish legislation on race equality to “enshrine the full right to equal pay in law”.

What are the key law areas we should be aware of as an HR team?

Full details of the new Employment Bill have yet to be unveiled. However, we expect it to cover most if not all of the pledges Labour set out in their manifesto:

This includes:

And much more…

You can read the full list of Labour’s HR and Health & Safety pledges in this blog.

Is pay changing?

Amongst their long list of reforms, Labour promises to make big changes to statutory payments, like…

Watch our panel of employment law experts answer this question in more detail in our recent Q&A session:

What do Labour’s changes mean for your policies, processes and contracts?

With the promise of radical change on the horizon, you’ll need to be proactive in updating your processes and documentation in line with new laws.

Labour has promised to remove qualifying periods for unfair dismissal, sick pay, parental leave and more. Meaning, employees will have certain protections from day one. So, you would need to review your existing policies to make sure they align with updated rules.

Larger businesses will also have new obligations under Labour’s plans.

If you employ over 250 members of staff, the new government has pledged to make it a legal requirement for you to publish ethnicity and disability pay gap reports. They also want to make it mandatory for larger businesses to have written menopause action plans.

But whether you’re a large, medium or small business, Labour’s plans for reform mean that all businesses will need to review their documentation.

Find out what Labour’s changes mean for your documentation in our live Q&A

What are Labour’s plans for health & safety at work?

Labour has pledged to bring change for health & safety in workplaces and do more to support employees experiencing mental health issues.

They’ve promised to recruit an extra 8,500 mental health workers and boost the support available to employees who are dealing with depression and anxiety.

Watch the panel address this important issue:

What’s the timeframe for Labour’s changes and first on the list?

Under the 100-day commitment, we’re expecting Labour to present new laws to Parliament until late October 2024.

Because some of Labour’s pledges involve fundamental changes to employee rights, they would have to carry out a 12-week consultation prior to them becoming official laws.

In Labour’s manifesto, they highlight a few areas of employment law that they intend to look at first, including removing the lower earnings limit on statutory sick pay. This would mean those on the lowest incomes will still be able to receive a minimum level of pay if they’re too sick to work.

With Labour’s self-imposed deadline to start putting change in motion, now’s the time for you to look at taking the appropriate next steps to stay safe.

Watch the full Q&A to unpack new employment laws with the experts

It’s tricky and complicated navigating major employment law changes.

So to make sure you’ve got answers to your pressing questions, watch Peninsula’s panel of HR experts address the biggest concerns for your business in the full live Q&A session.

Related articles

  • business preparation

    Blog

    Getting your business ready for the end of the year

    As the end of 2024 draws ever closer, whether it’s planning when to start winding down for an annual shutdown or gearing up for a busy season ahead, there’s a lot to think about. Let’s explore some of the HR issues that employers might face and practical tips on dealing with them.

    Peninsula Logo
    Peninsula TeamPeninsula Team
    • Business Advice
  • menopause

    Blog

    Practical tips for supporting employees going through the menopause

    Supporting employees with menopause in the workplace is an important part of employee wellbeing and is something that every employer can do. Here we take a closer look at some of the practical ways employers can help their employees who are going through the menopause at work.

    Peninsula Logo
    Peninsula TeamPeninsula Team
    • Employment Law
  • employment law

    Blog

    What you need to know about the Employment Rights Bill: key highlights

    On 10 October 2024, the Government published its Employment Rights Bill, setting out its plans to deliver on promises made in its pre-election Plan to Make Work Pay. The Bill contains 28 different reforms which are intended to implement sweeping changes to employment law in Great Britain. Here we review some of the key provisions of this Bill and what this could mean for employment law and employers.

    Peninsula Logo
    Peninsula TeamPeninsula Team
    • Employment Law
Back to resource hub

Unpack major HR changes under a Labour government...

Now we have the results, get expert advice to understand your next steps to stay legally safe

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the latest news & tips that matter most to your business in our monthly newsletter.