Employment Rights Bill: other areas consultation launches

 

Today, as part of the Make Work Pay Plan, a number of public consultations on key measures in the Employment Rights Bill (ERB) have launched.

These cover some areas of interest to the ASC sector, so we welcome your support in disseminating the consultations across your networks and encouraging individuals and organisations to respond.

The consultations provide an important opportunity to shape policy, and the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) want to hear from a broad range of voices. We in DHSC want to ensure that the adult social care sector's voice is heard in this process and that is why it is important you contribute your views, thoughts, and questions on these issues as part of the consultation process. This will support our engagement with the relevant teams across government.

Here are the details of the consultations DBT have launched today:

    • These measures will a new duty on employers to give a written statement to their workers informing them of their right to join a trade union at the start of their employment and at other times.

    • This new duty will help to address an existing information gap by ensuring workers are better informed of this right and empower them to participate in collective bargaining should they choose to do so.     

    • This consultation is seeking views on how this new duty can be implemented effectively while minimising the burden on employers.

    • These measures will introduce a new framework for trade unions to access workplaces physically, and to communicate with workers in person or digitally. The government is committed to ensuring any framework is proportionate and workable for unions, employers and workers.

    • This consultation is seeking views on:

      1. how unions will request access

      2. how employers respond

      3. factors the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) will take into account when determining whether access should be granted and on what terms

      4. how the CAC is to come to decisions on the values of fines issued for breaches of access agreements

    • These measures will make it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on maternity leave, and mothers who return to work for at least a 6-month period after they return – except in specific circumstances.

    • This consultation is seeking views on enhancing dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers, including:

      1. the specific circumstances in which the dismissal of pregnant women and new mothers should still be allowed

      2. when the protections should start and end

      3. whether other new parents should be covered by the protections

    • These measures provide the right to unpaid bereavement leave for employees who experience the loss of a loved one, including pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.

    • This consultation is seeking views on:

      1. eligibility criteria

      2. types of pregnancy loss in scope

      3. when and how bereavement leave can be taken

      4. notice and evidence requirements

Here you can find information on each of the other measures in the ERB - Employment Rights Bill: factsheets - GOV.UK

Here you can find information on the implementation roadmap for the ERB - Implementing the Employment Rights Bill - GOV.UK

 
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