As the 2024 general election approaches, political parties are unveiling their proposals for employment law reform.
Below, we have summarised the manifestos of the major parties to provide you with an overview of potential changes that could affect employers and employees alike.
Conservative Party proposals:
- Revamp the “fit note” system so that fit notes can only be issued by specialist work and health professionals
- Maintain the National Living Wage at two-thirds of median earnings
- Reduce employees’ National Insurance to 6%
- Phase out self-employed National Insurance
- Create 100,000 more annual high-quality apprenticeships
- Change the definition of “sex” (as a protected characteristic) to mean a person’s biological sex that they were given at birth
Labour Party proposals:
- Changing employee status so that an individual must either be self-employed or a worker
- Implement day-one rights for parental leave and sick pay
- Introduce a “right to disconnect” outside working hours
- Prohibit exploitative zero-hour contracts
- Extend all Employment Tribunal claim deadlines from three months to six months
- Revise redundancy consultation requirements
- Make flexible working a default, day one right
- Allow employees to lodge collective grievances through ACAS
- Strengthening rights for pregnant women
- Make the practice of “fire and rehire” more difficult for employers
Liberal Democrat’s proposals:
- Mandate diversity reporting and targets for large employers
- Increase the minimum wage for zero-hour contract workers during normal demand
- Create a new ‘dependent contractor’ employment status to sit in between employed and self-employed
- Enhance Statutory Sick Pay rights
- Shift the burden of proof regarding employment status from individuals to employers
- Making all parental pay and leave a day one right
- Doubling statutory maternity and paternity pay to £350 a week
Comment
These proposals suggest that employment law practitioners and HR professionals may face a period of significant change and adaptation following the election. We’ll continue to closely monitor these developments and will be able to advise employers and employees on how to navigate potential legislative changes.
How can Nelsons help
Kate Frisby is an Associate in our expert Employment Law team, advising on performance management, the drafting of policies and contracts, settlement agreement negotiations and assisting with claims in the Employment Tribunal.
For advice on or further information in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, please contact Kate or a member of our expert Employment Law team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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