As you are no doubt aware Labour won a landslide victory in the election on 4th July 2024.
What Does this Mean From a HR / Employment Law Perspective?
The Labour Party in their New Deal document published in May made us aware of a number of changes they would wish to introduce, which would have a major impact on businesses going forward. These included:
- A host of changes to the law in the area of trade union rights and access to the workplace.
- Reversing a number of pieces of Conservative legislation aimed at restricting unions. Improving the ability of unions to become recognised.
- Changes to individual employment rights including revising the law around zero hours contracts; ending the ‘fire and rehire’ culture; day one rights for employees; payment of SSP from the first day of employment; a review of people’s employment status.
- Changes to equality legislation (flexible working; menopause; maternity discrimination, Equal Pay, bereavement, time limits for making claims of unfair dismissal).
The Labour Party Manifesto, which was published on Thursday 13th June included much of the above, but also mentions:
- The setting up of a ‘Single Enforcement Body’ to enforce workers’ rights.
- Amending the minimum wage criteria.
- Increasing the scope of collective bargaining within the adult social care sector a new Race Equality Act.
The Manifesto sets out what the new Government would like to do, if elected; but we will have to wait and see what they actually manage to get through parliament and what will become law.
The new Parliament has been called to meet on Tuesday 9th July 2024 when the business will be the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of members.
The State Opening of Parliament and The King’s Speech will follow on Wednesday 17thJuly 2024. The King’s Speech generally details the major Bills that the Government plans to introduce to Parliament or publish in draft during the new session. The speech also sets out a general presentation of the Government’s main policy objectives and priorities, in foreign as well as domestic affairs.
We will, therefore, need to await The King’s Speech to discover what is on the new Government’s agenda, that may affect current employment law – and for the party that campaigned for “change” – we will see how far these changes go!
We will let you know of any changes as soon as we become aware.
