The Government recently announced its support in second readings of a number of Private Members’ Bills proposing reforms originally slated for the elusive Employment Bill. Most provide for the detail of the changes to be made by regulation and are therefore light on detail, but they do increase the likelihood of proposals actually coming into force in the next year or two. The Bills now confirmed to have Government support include:

• Carer’s Leave Bill: a ‘day one’ right for those with certain caring responsibilities to unpaid leave of one week per year, which can be taken in half or individual days and will not require evidence of entitlement. The expectation is that regulations would be laid and commenced in 2024. See the press release here.
• Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill: improvements to the right to request flexible working to allow two requests (rather than one) per 12 months, require employers to consult before refusing a request and to make decisions within two rather than three months, and remove the requirement that the employee must explain in the statutory request what effect the change would have on the employer and how that might be dealt with. The Bill does not include an amendment to make this a ‘day one’ right on the understanding that this would be done by secondary legislation; the Government supports the Bill but has not yet clearly committed to remove the current 26 week service requirement.
• Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and...

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