Insights Employment & Immigration Law – what’s on the horizon?

Last updated 16th May 2024

We’ve created this tracker to keep you up to date with all the latest developments in Employment & Immigration law – please bookmark it to make sure you don’t miss our latest posts. You can see what’s on the horizon at a glance by clicking on the video or use the links below to see a summary of the current status.

Please note that this material has been published for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

What's on the horizon?

Key legislation

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill received Royal Asset on 26 October 2023. The Act will change and expand the existing anti-harassment provisions currently contained within the Equality Act 2010. In particular, it will introduce a proactive duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

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The government has responded to two recent employment law reform consultations and published a draft statutory instrument to implement the proposed changes. The reforms focus on: (1) simplifying holiday pay calculations and permitting ‘rolled-up’ holiday pay for those working irregular hours and/or part of the year; (2) reducing the record keeping requirements under the Working Time Regulations 1998; and (3) simplifying the consultation requirements under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.

The record keeping and TUPE reforms will come into force on 1 July 2024, although the provisions related to percentage accrual of holiday and rolled-up holiday pay being permitted for irregular hours and part-year workers for holiday years are already in force for holiday years commencing from 1 April 2024 onwards. For those interested, we’ve recently published a standalone blog on some of the potential practical implications of this proposed legislation.

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Key points

The Bill is set to change and expand the existing anti-harassment provisions. In particular, it will introduce a proactive duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

Date of entry into force

October 2024. A new statutory code is expected from the EHRC before then.

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Key points

The Act will allow eligible employed parents whose new-born baby is admitted to neonatal care to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave. This is in addition to other leave and pay entitlements such as maternity and paternity.

Date of entry into force

Expected April 2025.

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Key points

The government has confirmed that it will introduce a statutory limit on the length of non-compete clauses of 3 months and will bring forward legislation to introduce the statutory limit “when parliamentary time allows“.

Date of entry into force

TBC.

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Key Points

The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill received Royal Asset on 19 September 2023. The Act will amend the Employment Rights Act 1996 to give workers and agency workers the right to apply for a predictable work pattern.

Two applications may be made within a 12-month period, and applications may be rejected on statutory grounds. A minimum service requirement to access the right, expected to be 26 weeks, will be specified. Workers will be able to make claims based on procedural failings by their employer, unlawful detriment and automatic unfair dismissal.

Date of entry into force

September 2024. The Act and secondary legislation are expected to come into force approximately one year after Royal Assent so that employers have time to prepare.

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Key Points

The Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) (No 2) Bill 2023 received Royal Assent, on 18 September 2023. The Act will amend the Pensions Act 2008 to implement two key recommendations made by the Department of Work and Pensions in their 2017 independent review of auto-enrolment. Regulation-making power will be introduced to: (i) reduce the lower age threshold for auto-enrolment; and (ii) reduce or repeal the amount of the lower limit of the qualifying earnings band.

Date of entry into force

The substantive provisions of the Act will come into force on a day appointed in a statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a timescale for implementation.

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The Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Bill received its first reading in the House of Lords on 29 April 2024. If progressed in its current form, the Bill would allow a bereaved father or partner to have 52 weeks’ paternity leave available during the first year of their child’s life, from the day on which the mother or primary adopter of the child has died. There will be no minimum service requirement.

Date of entry into force

TBC

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Key cases

Key points

The EAT upheld an appeal against an employment tribunal’s decision that a Christian employee was not directly discriminated against or harassed because of her protected beliefs, including that gender cannot be fluid and that an individual cannot change their biological sex or gender.

The EAT outlined several helpful overarching principles for employers regarding what to consider when attempting to restrict an employee’s freedom to express their beliefs while at work. It remains to be seen whether this guidance will be altered by the Court of Appeal.

Decision expected

Due to be heard by the Court of Appeal on 7 October 2024.

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Key points

The Court of Appeal made a significant ruling by overturning an injunction which prohibited Tesco from employing the controversial tactic of “fire-and-rehire” to retract a historical collectively agreed contractual benefit. Notably, this benefit had been explicitly stated to be “permanent” and “guaranteed for life” in prior agreements.

Decision expected

Due to be heard by the Supreme Court on 23 and 24 April 2024.

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Key consultations

The Government has announced its plan to consult on reforms to fit notes as part of changes to the welfare system for those with long-term health conditions, disabilities or long-term unemployment.

The Government has launched a consultation of draft regulations and guidance under the Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023. The consultation closed on 11 December 2023. A response to the consultation will be published in due course.

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