Fri, 28 Nov 2025

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 Labour ditches day-one protection from unfair dismissal in U-turn

The right will now be introduced after six months, in a breach of Labour's election manifesto.

* Unfair dismissal protection will be introduced after 6 months, not immediately from day one
* Sick pay and paternity leave rights (originally to be introduced on day one) will still come into effect in April 2026 as planned
* The government has U-turned on its manifesto commitment to offer unfair dismissal from the first day of employment
* The new Fair Work Agency, tasked with overseeing the new rights, will be set up in 2026
* Unions such as TUC and Unite have expressed mixed reactions to the announcement, with some welcoming the compromise and others criticizing the U-turn
* Business groups have welcomed the change, citing concerns about the original proposal's impact on employment opportunities.
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