Government rejects Lords amendments to Employment Rights Bill

These included provisions to have a six-month qualifying period for unfair dismissal, replace a right to be offered guaranteed hours into a right to request and reduce the qualifying period for unfair dismissal.

They also included a proposal for employees to be accompanied at hearings by a certified professional companion, as well as the retention of the 50 per cent turnout threshold in an industrial action ballot. 

The House of Lords will now consider the government’s reasons for rejecting their amendments.

Employment Rights legislation will establish day one rights to parental leave. Photograph: iStock

These include that it is appropriate for workers who meet the qualifying criteria to receive a guaranteed hours offer and that permitting a “certified professional companion” to accompany employees at disciplinary hearings would increase their cost and complexity.

In announcing the decision to vote amendments down on 15 September, the government said: “The government will overturn amendments tabled by the Lords which would have weakened the Bill.”

USDAW General Secretary Joanne Thomas said it was time for Peers to “end their attempts to undermine the Government’s efforts”.

“The Lords must do the right thing and stop undermining the vital changes in the Bill that will help bring fairness and security for workers, particularly for those currently on zero and short hours contracts," she continued. 

Not all Lords changes have been rejected. The government has previously accepted amendments including improvements to bereavement leave and a clamp down on inappropriate use of NDAs, as well as changes to the provision banning fire-and rehire.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Bill is a “core part of our agenda to make people better off.” “It will make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Follow the Employment Rights Bill here