We’re introducing new workplace rights to end unfair employment practices and help deliver economic growth.  

Our Employment Rights Bill will ban exploitative zero-hours contracts, end fire and rehire, and introduce basic employment rights from day one – like paternity and parental leave, and protection from unfair dismissal. It also introduces right to bereavement leave from day one. 

It will replace out-of-date employment laws, helping to boost pay and productivity with legislation fit for a modern economy.  

This is the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation, and a significant step towards delivering this government’s plan to make work pay.   

Basic rights from day one  

We’re putting in place measures to give employees basic rights from their first day in a new job.   

Our new Bill will give greater protection against unfair dismissal from day one, ensuring that the feeling of security at work is no longer a luxury for the privileged few.  

We are also bringing in a new statutory probation period for companies’ new hires. This will allow for a proper assessment of an employee’s suitability for a role as well as reassuring employees that they have rights from day one. We will consult on the length of the period; the government’s preference is 9 months. 

The Bill will establish rights to bereavement and paternity and parental leave from day one, and strengthen statutory sick pay, removing the lower earnings limit for all workers and cutting out the waiting period before sick pay kicks in.

Ending unfair practices   

Our new laws will end exploitative zero hours contracts and unscrupulous fire and rehire practices.   

While workers can stay on zero hours contracts if they’d prefer to, our new Bill means they’ll have the right to a guaranteed hours contract if they work regular hours over a defined period.   

Ending unscrupulous employment practices is a priority for this government. And this Bill will shut down the loopholes that allow bullying fire and rehire and fire and replace to continue.   

A fairer and more flexible workplace   

As part of the Bill, we’ll introduce new measures to help make the workplace more compatible with people’s lives. This includes making flexible working the default where practical.   

Large employers will be required to create action addressing gender equality, including supporting employees through the menopause, and protections against dismissal will be strengthened for pregnant workers and those returning from maternity leave.   

This is all with the intention of keeping people in jobs for longer, reducing recruitment costs for employers by increasing staff retention and helping the economy grow.  

We’ll also establish a new Fair Work Agency bringing together existing enforcement bodies to enforce rights such as holiday pay, and support employers looking for guidance on how to comply with the law.