Croner: Employment Rights Bill progress update

Employment Rights Bill progress update

Committee amendments to the Employment Rights Bill

The most significant agreement to the bill was an increase in the time limits that an employee can make a claim to an employment tribunal (almost all claims) from 3 months to 6 months.

Alongside the removal of the 2 years’ service qualification to access to make an Unfair Dismissal claim, we anticipate the Tribunal system to be busier than ever will employee claims.

For more information on the Employment Rights Bill and how your business can achieve compliance with the proposed changes call Croner today on 0844 561 8133 and quote your membership number.

Statutory Neonatal Pay care and leave

In addition to the above, the Government has also announced that Statutory Neonatal Care Pay and Leave will come into effect from April 6th, 2025. This means that eligible parents will receive 12 weeks leave and pay when their baby undergoes neonatal care.

Employees who qualify for NCL are also subject to enhanced redundancy protections, provided they take a period of 6 consecutive weeks leave.

Additional Employment Rights Bill Developments

An enquiry was held into the Employment Rights Bill by The Business and Trade Select Committee from December 17th, 2024, to January 14th, 2025.

The government held consultations to get key stakeholders to offer feedback on the following aspects of the bill:

Making Work Pay: Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay

Regarding percentage replacement rates on earners below the current rate of SSP.

Making Work Pay: Collective redundancy and fire and rehire

Regarding stronger remedial actions where rules regarding both collective redundancy and fire and rehire were broken.

Making Work Pay: Creating a modern framework for industrial relations

Regarding rule changes for trade union ballots, access and notice.

Making Work Pay: The application of zero hours contracts measures for agency workers

Regarding the balance of responsibility of employment agencies and end hirers if zero-hour protections extend to coverage of agency workers.

Currently the Government is working out responses to these consultations, and this could include amendments to the bill itself in some instances, which will likely be implemented during the reporting stage. In other cases, this could be done in the form of the content of future regulations being made under the authority granted by the ERB.

Ensure compliance with the Employment Rights Bill and learn more

To understand more on how the Employment Rights Bill, including the new legislation on Statutory Neonatal Leave and Pay will impact your business, contact the employment law advisory team at Croner on 0844 561 8133 and quote your membership number