The U.K.’s new Labour government has published its highly anticipated Employment Rights Bill. In total, the draft bill contains 28 stand-alone employment law reforms.

The key measures in the Employment Rights Bill are:

• Removing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection (meaning employees will have this protection from day one of employment). The government will consult on introducing a statutory probation period in which employers can assess the suitability of new hires. The government’s preference is for this probation period to be nine months, during which employers could follow a lighter touch and less onerous procedure to dismiss an employee who is not suitable for their role.
• Introducing “day-one” rights for employees to take paternity, unpaid parental and bereavement leaves, as well as giving employees an entitlement to receive statutory sick pay from day one of their sick leave (rather than day four). The entitlement to general bereavement leave is a new right (currently, eligible employees only have a right to take parental bereavement leave).
• Strengthening the flexible working request regime by requiring employers to explain in writing to an employee why any rejection of the request is reasonable. This is with the intention of making flexible working the default position, except in situations where it is not practical.
• Enhancing protections for pregnant women and new mothers, including dismissal protection during pregnancy, maternity leave,...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxPUHBjQ0xPLXdoMWRYdVlwZWdu...