The key point from an employment law perspective is the introduction of the Employment Bill which will seek to introduce changes including:
- Greater predictability in workers’ contracts with workers being able to request a more stable contract after they have completed 26 weeks of service
- The extension of the pregnancy and maternity ‘protected period’ for discrimination purposes in relation to redundancy situations meaning that women will be protected from the point they notify their employer that they are pregnant until 6 months after their maternity leave ends
- Making flexible working the default position to help encourage flexibility in the workplace
- Ensuring tips go to workers and the creation of a Code of Practice to ensure that these are paid out fairly
These recommendations reflect points that have been raised previously by government and so they shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how companies implement these proposals.
If you need help with any changes expected for 2020, please get in touch with our Employment Team.