Employment Rights Are Changing — Is Your Business Protected?

The UK workplace is on the edge of its biggest shake-up in decades. The Employment Rights Bill is tearing up the old rules, and if you are not paying attention, you could be caught off guard.

For years, employees had to wait two years before unfair dismissal protection kicked in. That gave employers breathing space, and employees something to aim for. But those days are numbered.

Day-One Rights… Or Six Months?

Labour’s original pitch was bold: make unfair dismissal a day-one right. To soften the blow for businesses, they added a nine-month “simpler process” probation period.

Neat in theory, but potentially complex in practice. The House of Lords rejected the compromise and reduced the qualifying period to six months, removing the need for probation carve-outs and simplifying the rules.

Either way, the two-year qualifying period is coming to an end.

Why It Matters Right Now

A shorter qualifying period means less time for employers to figure out whether someone is the right fit. That means sharper probation reviews, better onboarding, and managers who know how to spot problems early.

Here’s the problem: not every business has the time or expertise to overhaul processes overnight. That’s where recruitment consultants earn their stripes. They don’t just hand over CVs, they match people to culture, set realistic expectations, and keep contracts watertight. In a world where mistakes carry bigger risks, that expertise is, simply priceless.

For employees, the upside is clear. Protection arrives sooner, giving them security in months instead of years.

The Employer Backlash

Not everyone is cheering. Over 60% of employers think day-one rights will make life harder, and nearly 40% call it a “major risk”. Higher costs, more tribunal claims, slower hiring, the list could go on..

But here’s the difference: businesses going it alone feel the squeeze. Businesses using agencies have a buffer. Why? Because agencies pre-vet candidates, manage expectations from day one, and can offer temp-to-perm roles that let both sides assess the fit before making the placement permanent.

Recruitment to the Rescue

Let’s be clear: internal recruitment teams are already stretched. Keeping up with legal changes, rewriting contracts, training managers, and sourcing candidates? That’s a lot of spinning plates.

Recruitment consultants take that pressure off. They can:

• Source smarter: matching skills and culture to reduce disputes later.
• Sharpen probations: helping employers set clear goals from the start.
• Add flexibility: offering temporary or contract roles to test the waters.
• Stay compliant: tracking legislation so businesses don’t have to.

Agencies don’t just plug the gaps. They protect businesses from risk, speed up hiring, and keep everyone on the right side of the law.

A New Culture Is Coming

The “wait and see for two years” era is over. Whether the final rule is six months or day one, employers need to plan ahead now. Structured onboarding, stronger communication, and faster decisions are the new normal.

And if you are working with a quality recruitment consultant *cough cough*, you’ll be ahead of the curve.

The Bottom Line

The Employment Rights Bill is still bouncing through Parliament, but one thing is nailed down: the two-year rule is long gone!

Employers can either take on the risk alone or work with recruitment experts who already know how to navigate these changes. With shorter probation windows and higher stakes, the smart move is to bring in a recruitment professional, like THOMAS Recruitment, who can make hiring tighter, safer, and faster.