Back in February I offered here some thoughts on the main practical problems implicit in what was then the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill. It was a mess, missing explanations of key concepts and grossly over-engineered for its objectives. That makes it all the more depressing to report that it has now received Royal Assent in (so far as I can see on the main issues, at least) completely unchanged form. Yes, for the princely sum of just 8.14, you can now get your very own copy of the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023. Pages 2 and 4 of this publication are completely blank and so probably represent the high points of this new legislation, as the rest goes downhill fast. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Explanatory Notes and Acas Guidance will be available to cast some light on what the new Act is all about, but the general idea is to “give workers and agency workers the right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work” through a regime superficially similar to the existing flexible working rules – employee has right to ask and employer can say no only on certain specified grounds, with compensation if the employer mis-steps in the process and suitable protections for those subjected to detriment or dismissal for seeking to exercise that right.

So far so good, if you like that sort of thing. However, the starkest difference between the two regimes, and one which goes to the heart of the new rules, is that everyone knows what...

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