The Employment Rights Bill: a step forward for working parents in the UK?
Dr Manisha Mathews discusses legal reform of parental rights in the context of employment.
On 10 October 2024, the UK Labour Government introduced the Employment Rights Bill into Parliament within their first 100 days in power. At the start of the election campaign, the Labour Party stated in their Plan to Make Work Pay that the Bill would significantly strengthen the employment rights of workers in order to improve current working conditions, boost productivity, foster economic growth and raise overall living standards. Given the recent data from the Office for National Statistics showing that parents constitute a large proportion of the workforce, with 75.6% of mothers and 92.1% of fathers with dependent children employed, the Government particularly aimed to develop the employment rights of working parents under the Bill.