Changes Affecting Businesses After Brexit
It cannot be denied that Brexit, and the lack of clarity regarding what a ‘post-Brexit Britain’ will look like, has been troubling for businesses.
Established British businesses have comprehensive policies, procedures and processes which all align themselves with the current laws. How will Brexit effect these? Will they have to be thrown out and changed? Not knowing the answers to these questions is daunting.
The Home Secretary has addressed this by saying, “some people felt that the rights of workers would not be adequately addressed, so as part of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill we will ensure parliament is given a vote on the action government will take in response to changes to EU legislation on workers’ rights.”
On the 6th March, the government released a press statement which gives some information about possible changes. It seeks to reassure businesses that workers’ rights are at the heart of their new post- Brexit plans.
BREXIT: WHAT CHANGES CAN YOU EXPECT?
Whilst we won’t be part of the EU, some EU laws will remain and the government will assess whether new EU laws will be adopted into UK law. During this process, the government are committed to consulting trade unions and businesses to ensure that the standards of workers’ rights are not compromised.
At present, there are two EU directives which will be implemented after our exit from the EU. There is a good chance that they will be adopted into UK law as the government has voted in favour of them both.
Work-Life Balance Directive
- New rights for parents and carers
- Two months of paid leave for each parent up until a child is eight years old
- Five days of leave for those caring for a sick relative
The Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive
- Terms of employment will be decided and contracted to coincide with a worker’s first day
- Greater stability for those working in shifts
Other proposals to be confirmed include:
- Strengthened package of measures to enforce workers’ rights
- Amalgamating and centralising a range of enforcement bodies into one
- A single labour market enforcement body which would have the power to enforce holiday payments for vulnerable workers and to protect the rights of agency workers
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO NOW?
At this point in time, there is little businesses can do to prepare for the changes as there is still much to be decided by the government. What we can be certain of is that there will be changes to the current employment practices and laws in the UK and they are likely to impact the rights of your employees.
EMBRACE THE CHANGES WITH ALTUM HR
The post-Brexit business world doesn’t have to become overwhelming. Here at Altum HR, we have a highly qualified team of HR and legal consultants. We will be working around the clock to become experts in the new laws and directives which will come into effect once we leave Brexit and during the implementation period that will follow.
Our expert consultants are able to offer you advice on any adaptations that you will need to make to your business and your documentation, whilst offering comprehensive training to employees to ensure that they are up to speed with the new approaches. We will be on hand 24/7 to offer HR advice to guide you through the process, whilst ensuring that it is as stress-free as we can possibly make it. This gives you the time to focus on your business needs rather than on the legal shifts in a post-Brexit Britain.