The summer holidays are over, and the weather is already closing in. If you’re heading back to work after a well-deserved break, we’ve got you covered with the latest employment law updates you may have missed whilst you were away.

Let’s dive straight in with the employment law updates already in the works, and those we can expect in the future too.

Strikes and agency staff

Especially pertinent this summer as rail, dock, legal and bus staff go on strike (amongst others), the government launched new legislation on 21st July that allows employers to fill the gaps of striking staff with agency workers.

Formerly, this may have constituted a criminal offence, but now businesses can hire either agency or fixed-term temporary staff to fill the holes left in the workforce.

Unions in the UK are currently assessing whether or not the introduction of this legislation may have been in breach of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement where it relates to the UK’s requirement to uphold and respect labour standards, including the right to collective bargaining.

Neonatal care

First championed by Theresa May’s government in 2019, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill received government backing on 15th July and allows the parents of babies who require hospital care to take 12 weeks of paid leave.

This additional leave is on-top of statutory maternity and paternity leave, and will be a ‘day one’ right of employment.

Long Covid...

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