Employment Rights Bill is biggest change to workers’ rights in 50 years

The government has published its promised Employment Rights Bill with extensive changes promised, though many are subject to consultation.

 

The Bill includes measures for:

• Statutory sick pay (SSP): Workers will be entitled to SSP, external from the first day they are ill, rather than the fourth day
• Lower earnings limit for SSP: Currently, workers earning less than £123 per week cannot claim SSP. This limit will be removed but the bill will set out a lesser level of sick pay for lower earners
• Paternity leave: Fathers or partners to be eligible from day one of employment, instead of 26 weeks
• Unpaid parental leave: Parents to be eligible from day one of employment, instead of one year
• Unpaid bereavement leave: To become a “day one” right for workers
• Flexible working: Bosses will be expected to consider any flexible working requests made from day one, and say yes unless they can prove it is unreasonable

Unions will also have a legal right to access workplaces.

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said:

“The Employment Rights Bill represents the biggest single change to workers’ rights in the last 50 years.

“Its impact will be far reaching on the world of work.

“Improving trade union access to workplaces is particularly important to address the fact that just 13% of workers in the private sector now have union representation.

“The publication of the Bill is an important milestone, but there are still many vital issues to resolve.

“It is critical that unions, employers and government work closely together in partnership as the Bill moves through Parliament and towards implementation.”