As part of keeping you in our focus, our ‘legal lightbulb’ update ensures you’re on top of the latest changes in legislation, case law, and people trends. Here’s pt.1 for this month:
Employment law bills working through parliament
The government have backed a number of employment law bills which are working their way through parliament. The bills will either amend or introduce new employment rights when they come into force (dates to be confirmed). The bills cover:
- Redundancy protection – currently, before making an employee redundant who is on maternity leave, you’re required to offer them a vacant, suitable alternative role in priority to anyone else selected for redundancy. The proposed bill means you’ll be required to offer this protection to the employee from the point you’re made aware of their pregnancy and up to six months after they return from maternity leave (where an employee has taken 52 weeks’ maternity leave). Similar rights will also apply to parents returning from adoption or shared parental leave.
- Unpaid carer’s leave – providing a new entitlement for employees with caring responsibilities to take up to one week of unpaid leave each year to care for someone with an illness or injury (lasting at least three months), a disability, or old age.
- Flexible working – creating a day-one right for employees to request flexible working arrangements. The bill also includes a more onerous consultation process before rejecting employee requests and a shorter timeframe (two months, instead of three) to reach a decision.
We’ll update you further when we know more about the detail and when the bills will come into effect.
