**Hell of zero hours contracts to be outlawed by Labour in boost to Scots workers’ rights**
Scots workers are set to experience a significant improvement in their rights as the Labour party moves to ban zero-hour contracts, marking a substantial win for workers. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also unveiled plans to put an end to the controversial practice of “fire and rehire”, along with ensuring employment rights from day one. These new protections will be overseen by a Fair Work Agency as part of the Government’s Employment Rights Bill, which fulfills a key promise made in the party’s manifesto to enhance job security for employees nationwide.
This groundbreaking legislation includes 28 proposed reforms that have been developed in consultation with unions and business associations. One of the key provisions is that employees will now be safeguarded against unfair dismissal from the very first day of their job. Additionally, there may be an introduction of a nine-month probationary period, but this will not undermine the right to protection against unfair dismissal. Day one rights will also encompass entitlements such as sick pay, paternity leave, and unpaid parental leave. Notably, sick pay will now be available from the first day of employment, instead of from the fourth day as it currently stands.
More than a million UK workers currently on zero-hour contracts will have the opportunity to access guaranteed working hours if desired. A consultation on these proposals will be open until 2026, giving stakeholders a chance to provide feedback and shape the final legislation. Noteworthy inclusions in the day one rights package are paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, and sickness pay, highlighting a significant step towards enhancing employee welfare and job security.
In a bid to enhance workplace flexibility, most employers will be mandated to adopt flexible working as the default, and a bereavement leave policy will also be required to be established. The Government will conduct an extensive consultation on these plans until 2026, coinciding with the year of the Holyrood election in Scotland. Rayner expressed that the government’s aim is to boost worker security, enhance productivity, and foster economic growth to improve the lives of working people and unleash the country’s full potential.
She further stated, “This government is delivering the biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation, boosting pay and productivity with employment laws fit for a modern economy. We’re turning the page on an economy riven with insecurity, ravaged by dire productivity and blighted by low pay.” Emphasizing the need for updated employment laws that support both businesses and workers, Rayner pointed out the detrimental impact of outdated regulations that have fostered insecurity and low wages. The proposed reforms aim to set a higher standard for worker rights, creating a fairer and more prosperous future for British employees.