What is the Employment Rights Bill 2024 #FAQFriday
Join Alison in this week’s #FAQFriday as she looks into the new Employment Rights Bill 2024 and how it will affect your hospitality business. Alison also looks at what other legislation we can expect to come into effect in 2025.
Hospitality business owners need to be fully aware of the new Employment Rights Bill, set to be implemented in stages from 2025 and into 2026, as it introduces sweeping changes that will significantly affect staff management and operations. The Bill grants day-one rights to workers—this includes unfair dismissal protection, statutory sick pay, and flexible working requests from the start of employment, even for zero-hours or casual workers thetimes.co.uk+8sprintlaw.co.uk+8theaccessgroup.com+8. Employers must now issue compliant written contracts upfront, potentially offer guaranteed hours, and handle flexible working requests fairly. A new enforcement body, the Fair Work Agency, will oversee compliance and hold the power to inspect workplaces, seize documents, and issue fines or legal action against non-compliant businesses harperjames.co.uk+1.
For hospitality employers, these reforms bring particular challenges—especially around scheduling, use of zero-hour contracts, and managing seasonal staff levels. Falling short on guaranteed hours obligations, shift cancellations, or probationary processes can now carry legal and financial risk theguardian.com+11theaccessgroup.com+11knowledge.dlapiper.com+11. Additionally, employers must strengthen policies to prevent workplace harassment (including third-party harassment) and ensure transparent tip distribution under updated tipping legislation ashurst.com+5gov.uk+5supportis.com+5.
To stay compliant, hospitality businesses should immediately review and update employment contracts, shift their HR systems to track probation and leave entitlements, and train managers on the new dismissal, harassment, and flexible working regulations. It’s essential to embed robust compliance practices now—so when these changes take effect, your business remains secure, fair and ready.
