Employment Reform Must Work For Business
10 Oct 2024
Published in: British Chambers of Commerce News
Chambers respond to the unveiling of the Government’s legislation on employment reform.
Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the BCC, said:
“This is the biggest shake up of employment law in decades. These are huge changes and businesses must be engaged and supported on them every step of the way.
“If the right balance is struck then we have the potential to get more people into work and boost economic growth. But if the process is mishandled there is a danger these changes could have the opposite effect.
“It is important to stress that the legislation we are seeing today is a starting point. It is setting out a framework, and the detail and the mechanics of how this will operate will still need much further consultation.
“Many of these changes are going to need secondary legislation and it’s unlikely we’ll see major changes to business practices until 2026.
“But firms will want to see more detail on the timeline for these reforms and guarantees that there will be no surprises.
“We all recognise that a thriving workforce is more productive and that drives growth. We will continue to work with Government and the unions to ensure that a balance is reached. One that encourages businesses to recruit and has the right support for employees.”
Gemma Edwards, Policy & Impact Officer at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, commented:
“We’ve been hearing from our businesses that the promised reform to employment rights is making them nervous of moving forward with new hires. It’s good to see finally some detail behind these proposals, though it should be noted that these will not be implemented until 2026 at the earliest, following a period of consultation.
"We would encourage all of our members to engage with the consultation when it starts, and ensure that the changes are fit for purpose.”
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