The Employment Rights Bill has been amended following the committee stage in Parliament, introducing key changes that will impact hiring and employment contracts. The Bill is still subject to further revisions, with no implementation date confirmed. 

The time limit for employment tribunal claims will increase from three to six months. Employees on zero-hours or low-hours contracts will have the right to a contract reflecting their usual hours over a 12-week period. The amendments introduce additional employer obligations:

• New employees must receive information on this right within two weeks.
• Employers must provide details when offering a guaranteed-hours contract, explaining why it is being offered.

Employees must receive reasonable notice and compensation for shifts in which they are requested to work. However, shifts not yet agreed upon can be changed without notice or compensation.

Dismissal for refusing contract changes will be automatically unfair unless the employer can prove the changes were necessary to prevent financial difficulty. Employers must also demonstrate that no reasonable alternatives were available. 

The Bill also clarifies that gender equality includes addressing the gender pay gap and supporting menopausal women.

Only certified ‘qualifying’ trade unions will have enhanced workplace access, with home-based businesses exempt from this requirement.

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