People teams that are already auditing their contracts and policies will be best prepared for the upcoming measures, says Jeanette Wheeler
The Employment Rights Act introduces a wide set of reforms affecting almost every stage of the employment lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to industrial relations and dismissal. For many organisations, the real challenge will not be interpreting the legislation, but embedding it into everyday situations.
The Act extends day-one entitlements, including statutory sick pay and paternity leave. It strengthens whistleblowing protections so that sexual harassment can qualify as a protected disclosure, reforms trade union access and industrial action rules, shortens the qualifying period for unfair dismissal to six months and removes the cap on compensation. It will also establish a Fair Work Agency to bring enforcement together.
While many of these changes are manageable individually, the sheer number of reforms that are coming into force represent a challenge for HR.
Most employers will begin by updating policies and contracts. Ensuring that day-to-day processes are aligned with the new policy documents will likely be the area where difficulties arise.
Statutory sick pay changes and the removal of the lower earnings limit mean payroll systems must calculate entitlement differently across working patterns. Flexible and zero-hours arrangements require closer tracking of hours and clearer communication...
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