Anna Dabek, employment law partner at Anthony Collins, comments on the Employment Rights Bill which has now has been passed in Parliament
It’s been a long and argumentative autumn, but with days to spare before the Christmas break, the Employment Rights Bill, has finally been passed in Parliament. A sigh of relief that the uncertainty is over, but also considerable concern from employers for the challenges that lie ahead as the provisions of the Bill are introduced over the next two years.
While boosting workers’ rights is an important and positive step, employers in the social care sector have already voiced their concerns about how these changes could impact their viability at a time of recruitment challenges, funding constraints and increasing employment-related costs. Many care providers support the idea of improving workers’ rights whether that be through better pay or predictable working practices, but they simply don’t believe it can be achieved without a long-term funding solution for the sector.
We know from speaking to clients that changes such as making statutory sick pay a day one right, will be a challenge. Ensuring staff who are sick can take the time off they need is a good thing, however many providers predict this could increase short-term absences, which will have a financial impact and require more management time. This change is one of the earliest to take effect in April next year, so the challenge is imminent.
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