Several clients have recently asked me: “What rights does someone have under a zero hours contract?”  It’s an important question if you’re considering whether this arrangement suits your business.   What is a Zero Hours’ Contract? A zero hours’ contract is an agreement where no minimum working hours are guaranteed. Instead, individuals are offered work as and when it is available, and they can choose whether to accept it. For employers, these contracts provide a flexible pool of staff without...

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is set for changes under the Employment Rights Bill. As a business owner, it’s important to understand what’s coming and how to prepare without panic or over complication.   What’s Changing? The government is reviewing SSP with the aim of:   Removing the current three-day waiting period before SSP is paid Extending eligibility to employees earning below the lower earnings limit Providing clearer guidance to help employers administer SSP The goal is to offer better...

The way workplaces approach pregnancy loss is changing. The UK government is preparing to extend bereavement leave so that employees who experience miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy will have a legal right to time away from work. This development represents more than just a legislative update – it’s a compassionate shift in recognising the impact of early loss on employees and their families.   The Current Position At present, statutory parental bereavement leave only applies when:   A...