The Work Foundation at Lancaster University respond to the Government's announcement on unfair dismissal changes to the Employment Rights Bill. Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said:

“Ending the Parliamentary log jam on the Employment Rights Bill is a positive step – additional delays would only risk further extending an already lengthy implementation process, and postpone workers feeling the benefit of these new protections.

“Reducing the time it takes for workers to have protection against unfair dismissal from 24 months to six months remains a significant shift that will boost security at work for millions.

“Work Foundation analysis indicates that had this new right been in place in 2023, the number of people in severely insecure work would have fallen by 1.2 million and up to 3.9 million workers would have had more secure jobs. This is broadly in line with what we may have expected had Government gone ahead with previous plans for a new six-month statutory probationary period in any case.

“Having made this change, it's critical that the Employment Rights Bill now reaches Royal Assent as a matter of priority, and without any further dilution. Government, businesses and unions should continue to engage constructively on making its delivery a success over the months and years to come, while the Fair Work Agency must be vigilant to ensure rogue employers don’t seek to circumvent new regulations as they come into force.”