Thu, 27 Nov 2025

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 How will the changes to workers' rights affect you?

A major shake-up of workers' rights is on its way, but what impact will it have?
Changes to Employment Rights:
* Workers will have the right to claim unfair dismissal after 6 months, not from day one as originally planned
* Zero-hours contracts: employees who want guaranteed hours can be offered a contract based on their average hours over a 12-week period
* Flexible working becomes the default for all workers, with employers required to grant requests unless "unreasonable"
* Workers on zero-hours contracts will have "reasonable" notice of shift changes and compensation if shifts are cancelled or ended early New Rights:
* Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be payable from day one of illness, regardless of earnings level
* Parents will have the right to take unpaid parental leave from day one in employment, not after a year as currently required
* Bereavement leave will also become a right from day one Other Changes:
* The ban on "fire and rehire" practices will apply in most circumstances, but with some exceptions (e.g. companies at risk of insolvency)
* No change to current rules on flexible working requests, as many reasons are still available for employers to refuse
* Certain Labour proposals have not been included in the Employment Rights Bill, such as the "right to switch off" and a "single status of worker"
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