The Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament sets out the UK government’s legislative agenda for the year ahead. This year’s speech took place on 10 May, and in addition to the Queen’s absence, there was notable absence of any employment law reform.
In particular, the long-awaited Employment Bill, which was included in the Queen’s Speech in December 2019, was not one of the new Bills announced. Its omission was not unexpected, having been excluded from the legislative agenda during 2020 and 2021 too, but it is perhaps now even clearer that employment law is not a priority for the current government.
When first announced, the Employment Bill was expected to contain a plethora of new or enhanced rights including: carer’s leave; neonatal pay and leave; enhanced redundancy protection during pregnancy and maternity; an ability to retain tips; making flexible working the default; and increased contract predictability for workers. It was also expected to legislate to create a new single enforcement body.
Notwithstanding the lack of an Employment Bill, a number of employment related developments have been announced in the past year, notably the intention to introduce statutory codes on sexual harassment at work and fire and rehire practices; and to legislate for carers leave, and neonatal leave and pay. However, the commitment has been limited to ‘when Parliamentary time allows’, and with 38 Bills announced as part of the 2022 Queen’s speech, parliament have plenty of...
President Lee Jae-myung speaks at a Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae on October 13. President Lee Jae-myung called for a stern response to the spread of false information regarding eggs rece...