AN ELECTION IS COMING WITH POSSIBLE CHANGES TO YOUR WORKING LIFE AFTER IT!

In our past two newsletters for 2024, we have highlighted key cases from the previous year with their learning points and new cases expected over the next few months. Another thing we can expect this year is a General Election. And most of the main political parties, apart from the Conservatives have now indicated what changes they hope to make to UK employment law and associated HR issues from 2025 -2029.

Could we see:-

• An end to zero hours?

• Big increases to the minimum wage or a new living wage?

• The right not to be contacted by a boss after working hours?

• An automatic right to work from home if you have a disability?

Well, below is what we know so far. Remember, it’s early days. Politicians might change their minds!

Conservative Party - The Conservative Party is yet to release its latest manifesto, although presumably one will be published in the coming months. During its time in government a number of new rights and entitlements for employees have been introduced or improved. We have highlighted some of these in previous newsletters. These have included the new Preventative Duty on Sexual Harassment, new Flexible Working with Carers Leave and the right for employees to keep tips and gratuities. We will let you know as soon as any new proposals emerge.

Green Party -The Green Party has committed itself to “liberate our working lives.” To do this, it would introduce the following.

• A four-day working week, to be “phased in.”

• A universal basic income, replacing benefits and tax allowances.

• More high-quality jobs, reversing public sector cuts and helping small businesses to create new jobs by reducing NI contributions small businesses must pay.

• A Real Living Wage for all.

• Ban of zero-hours contracts and unpaid internships.

• Laws to ensure the maximum pay ratio in an organisation is 10:1.

Labour Party -The Labour Party appear to be well advanced with their plans. They include:-

• Removal of the need for qualifying service for certain employment law protections and entitlements. Under a Labour government, employees would instead be able to access rights such as sick pay, parental leave and even unfair dismissal from the very beginning of their employment. Casual worker rights would also be reviewed and increased to give them a full set of rights.

• A proposal to remove the current limit on tribunal awards

• Banning zero-hours contracts as well as fire and re-hire dismissals, and require employers to agree to flexible working requests “as far as is In banning fire and re-hire, Labour has identified three areas of the law that would need to be changed.

• Information and consultation requirements to be improved to ensure employers consult with their workers on contractual changes.

• Unfair dismissal and redundancy laws to be adapted to prevent dismissals for refusing to agree to a “worse” contract.

• Changes to be made to trade union laws on notice and balloting to allow for defensive action where fire and re-hire is being implemented.

• Introducing  the “right to disconnect. This will  bring in rules that will allow workers to “switch off” and not be contacted by their employer outside of their contractual working hours.

Liberal Democrats -The Liberal Democrat Party has released a policy paper, For a Fair Deal, which was agreed at the autumn party conference in 2023 to form the basis of its next manifesto.

This document is comparatively light on employment law policies when compared to what Labour has offered, however below is a summary of its key commitments.

• A requirement for employers to advertise jobs with the availability of flexible working, unless significant business reasons mean that is not possible.

• A new right for every person with disabilities to work from home if they so choose, again, unless significant business reasons mean that is not possible.

• Scrap recently enacted anti-protest laws, restoring pre-existing protections for both peaceful assembly and public safety.
  

Things may change -Watch this space! As 2024 progresses we are likely to see more in the news on what the various political parties would bring into law should they be asked to form the next government. This may or may not mean significant changes for employers. Once more; it will be down to the public -for you - to decide!

Our employment law and HR training courses will continue to focus on what is required now in the workplace together with all the breaking news!