Page 24 - PWM2025_MARCH EBOOK

BETTER BUSINESS

Labour, print,

employment

It cannot be said that the Labour government, not
yet a year in office, isn’t trying to shake up society.
Political bias aside, Labour has given pay rises to
public sector workers, raised taxes, cut payments to
pensioners and wants to see more houses being
built, by Adam Bernstein going to change the landscape for
A employers.
nd not all its actions
have been welcomed.
But beyond that,
But what does the print sector
Labour – not unsurpris-
think of it?
ingly given its political
priorities – is looking to
reform the employment landscape A legal view
too and recently introduced a 150- Before we examine that, we should
page Employment Rights Bill into consider the legal profession’s view
parliament. of the planned changes.
Mark Stevens, legal director at law
Key points outlined firm VWV, thinks that the Bill out-
As to the key points that have been lines the most significant and far-
included, the Bill proposes removing reaching changes to employment law
the two-year qualifying period for for many years. He says of the
unfair dismissal while adding a statu- reforms that they “are aimed at
strengthening worker protections
tory probation period, banning or and adapting to the changing labour
restricting zero-hours contracts and market.” To this he notes “the need says, looking to understand the key areas of focus and how the proposed
‘fire and rehire’, making flexible to upgrade employment protections changes may impact their businesses. It does seem to bother him that the
working a default right where practi- so that they keep pace with the mod- Bill’s reliance on future regulations has left employers with some uncer-
tainty as “the practical challenges of implementing the new rights, such as
cal, strengthening parental rights, ern economy and ways of working.” guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts, and compensation for late
changing trade union law and collec- As to the impact of the Bill, changes for zero-hours and low-hours workers, remain unresolved”.
tive rights, granting sick pay from day Stevens highlights the removal of the Some wonder if there were any missed opportunities and from Stevens’
one, and extending time for tribunal two-year qualifying period for ordi- standpoint, more change is likely: “The Bill does not touch on equal pay
claims and removing compensation nary unfair dismissal claims. Because issues, or the reporting of workplace pay-gaps. The government had also
of the shift to day-one unfair dis-
caps. missal rights that provide individuals proposed a reconfiguration of the rules around employment status which
However, elements that were with greater job security, he says that was omitted from the Bill.” Here he says that it is anticipated that a new
expected to be included did not make “employers will need to rethink their employment status framework, under which there would be only two sta-
the cut. These include the ‘right to onboarding and probation manage- tuses – worker and self-employed – will be the subject of detailed consulta-
switch off’ which would have pre- ment strategies, ensuring that robust tion.
However, he says that there are further plans to reform employment law
vented employers from contacting and transparent procedures are in beyond the Bill, with, for example, a ‘right to switch off’ through a statutory
workers out of hours, making larger place.” There will be a statutory pro- Code of Practice, and the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill which will
firms report their ethnicity and disa- bationary period, but Stevens thinks require large employers to report their ethnicity and disability pay gaps.
bility pay gap, introducing a single that this will bring greater scrutiny to Ultimately, employers will have no choice but to cope with a new
dismissals. His advice to employers is
status of worker, and further review- to review and update employment employment landscape from autumn 2026 when the new laws are
ing parental and carer leave systems. contracts and probation policies to expected to come into force. However, while no immediate steps may be
If enacted – along with the stay compliant. required, Stevens counsels employers to “start thinking about which of
increase in employers National There is clearly much information their policies and practices may be impacted and keep a watching brief for
Insurance contributions – the Bill is to absorb, and Stevens’ clients are, he when further details are released”.

24 PrintWeek MENA March 2025 www.printweekmena.com