Why time off matters

A flagship piece of legislation, the Employment Rights Bill should make its way onto the statute books later this year. Alan Jappy, Head of New Business, Corporate at ARAG, takes a look at some of its key measures and when they are likely to come into force.

After a challenging few years, business owners are understandably wary of more regulation and the government’s Employment Rights Bill has been described by Unison as “...the most significant piece of employment rights legislation in decades.”

A centrepiece of the government’s plan to ‘make work pay’, some of the bill’s measures have been on the table for years while others are simply designed to codify existing best practice.

Some recent media coverage has suggested the bill is much more radical and imminent than anticipated, but a ‘roadmap’ published by the Department for Business and Trade outlines a measured introduction, with further consultation on key reforms and a timeline stretching out over two years.