With a new government in place, several significant changes to employment law are on the horizon. These changes aim to enhance employee rights and protections, but what does this mean for small businesses?
Tina Holt, HR Director, details the latest updates and their implications.
Day-One Rights for Unfair Dismissal
Status: Proposed
Details: Under the new government, employees will have the right to unfair dismissal protection from the first day of employment, eliminating the previous two-year qualifying period. This would require SMEs to handle dismissals with the same level of care from the very start to avoid unfair dismissal claims.
Flexible Working Requests
Status: Implemented
Details: Employees can now request flexible working from their first day of employment and make up to two requests per year. Employers must respond within two months and provide a valid reason if denying a request.
Carer's Leave
Status: Implemented
Details: Employees are entitled to one week of unpaid leave per year to care for dependants, effective from the first day of employment.
Redundancy Protection for Pregnant Employees
Status: Implemented
Details: Enhanced protections require employers to offer suitable alternative employment to pregnant employees and those on family leave, extending up to 18 months post-birth or adoption.
Did you know: Brought in as part of the 2017 reforms to the Loi Travail (labour law), the French ‘right to disconnect’ allows employees to not receive, or to be able to ignore, all digital forms of work communication – phone calls, emails, texts, etc – outside of their defined and contracted working hours.
Right to Disconnect
Status: Proposed
Details: A new policy provides employees with the right to disconnect from work communications outside of working hours.
Zero Hours Contracts and One-Sided Flexibility
Status: Proposed
Details: The government plans to ban exploitative zero hours contracts and ensure all jobs provide a baseline level of security and predictability.
Single Enforcement Body
Status: Proposed
Details: Establishing a Single Enforcement Body to enforce workers’ rights, including strong powers to inspect workplaces and take action against exploitation.
Family-Friendly Rights
Status: Proposed
Details: Reviewing and improving family-friendly rights, including better parental leave policies and protections for pregnant workers.
Menopause in the Workplace
Status: Proposed
Details: Thousands of women are struggling at work due to a lack of support in dealing with symptoms of menopause. The new government will require large employers with more than 250 employees to produce Menopause Action Plans, similar to gender pay gap action plans. These plans will outline how employers will support employees through menopause. Additionally, guidance will be published for small employers on measures to consider, such as uniform and temperature adjustments, flexible working, and recording menopause-related leave and absence
Not yet. While some changes, such as flexible working requests and carer's leave, have already been implemented, others, including day-one rights for unfair dismissal and the right to disconnect, are still proposed and awaiting final legislation. The new government has made clear commitments to these reforms, but the specifics and timelines may evolve as the legislative process progresses.
For small businesses, these changes represent both challenges and opportunities. The enhanced protections and rights for employees necessitate updates to HR policies and processes, potentially increasing the administrative burden. However, these changes also promote a fairer and more supportive working environment, which can only enhance employee satisfaction and retention.
To effectively manage these new HR compliance changes, SMEs should take several proactive steps. At RfM Transform, we provide cost-effective and comprehensive support to help you navigate these challenges seamlessly.
Recommendations for SMEs:
Review and Update Policies: Ensure all HR policies reflect the new laws, particularly those related to dismissal, flexible working, and employee leave.
Train Management: Educate managers on the new regulations and the importance of following fair procedures from the start of employment.
Plan for Compliance: Develop a compliance plan to manage the additional administrative tasks and ensure all new rights and protections are respected.
At RfM Transform, we can help you with all of this and more!
Director-led HR Support: Ensuring compliance and streamlining HR processes from as little as £65+vat per month.
Staff-Central People Management System: Our cloud-based app helps you manage payroll, employee records, and administrative tasks efficiently.
Ensure your business not only meets the new HR compliance requirements but also creates a positive and supportive work environment. For more detailed information and tailored solutions, get in touch RfM Transform.
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