Predictable working pattern law will not come into force

Samer Cheaitou
Solicitor
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The government has announced that the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 will not be brought into force.

As we explained in a JEL Alert last October, the Act was aimed at giving workers with atypical working patterns the right to request a more predictable working pattern. The right to request would have worked in broadly the same way as flexible working requests.

However, this does not mean that the government does not intend to strengthen workers’ rights in this area. We can expect stronger measures to be included in the Employment Rights Bill, aimed at ending (to use the government’s language) “one-sided flexibility” in the workplace.

It is expected that the government will instead legislate to give workers the right to a contract that reflects the number of hours regularly worked by that worker.

The Employment Rights Bill is due to be published within 100 days of the King’s Speech, and we might therefore expect to see it in October. It will make significant changes to UK employment law, and Just Employment Law will be providing all of our clients and subscribers with regular, in-depth news and analysis of its contents

If you would like to discuss the implications of this update, or any other employment matter, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team on 0141 331 5150.

Topics: predictable terms