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ARTICLE · 25 NOVEMBER 2024

Employment Update - November 2024

Travers Smith LLP
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The UK's 2024 Employment Rights Bill introduces significant reforms effective mostly by 2026, including removing unfair dismissal qualifying periods, expanding flexible working rights, and enhancing protections against harassment and unfair redundancies. Employers must prepare for these pivotal changes.

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Tim Gilbert
Tim Gilbert
Siân Keall
Siân Keall
Ed Mills
Ed Mills
Adam Wyman
Adam Wyman
Ailie Murray
Ailie Murray
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1 In the News

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL

In October 2024, the UK Government published the much-anticipated Employment Rights Bill. Once in force, the Bill will make a number of significant changes to UK employment law. However, the majority of changes will not come into force until 2026, including the highly-publicised removal of the unfair dismissal qualifying period, which comes into force in Autumn 2026.

The key changes include:

  • Unfair dismissal: removal of the two-year qualifying service requirement for unfair dismissal claims, with a statutory probationary period (possibly up to 9 months) during which a light touch dismissal process will apply;
  • Flexible working: there will be a new requirement for employers to demonstrate that any rejection of a flexible working request is reasonable;

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