BRC Warns Lords: Don’t Let Employment Bill “Cost the Country Jobs”

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has issued a robust call to members of the House of Lords to “stand firm” as the Employment Rights Bill heads into its next stage of parliamentary scrutiny.

The industry body emphasises that the Bill — poised to be implemented at the end of the year — encompasses far-reaching provisions, including changes to paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, statutory sick pay and enhancements to employee protections covering whistle-blowing and sexual harassment.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, stressed the pivotal role of the Lords in shaping the legislation, stating: “The House of Lords should stand firm on their proposed amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. Peers see just how risky the consequences of this Bill could be, and their proposed amendments will help protect employees as well as crucial employment opportunities all over the country.”

The BRC highlights that retail, as the UK’s largest private-sector employer, is expected to support the Keep Britain Working review in addressing economic inactivity. However, the organisation warns that, in its current form, the Bill riskily impedes rather than enables the creation of local, flexible part-time roles.

As Dickinson puts it: “The Keep Britain Working review revealed the sheer scale of economic inactivity. Retail, as the largest private-sector employer, will be instrumental in taking forward the review’s recommendations. But if the Employment Rights Bill passes without amendments, it will hinder rather than help retailers play their part in offering local, flexible and part-time jobs at scale.”

Key elements of the legislative package include the removal of the guaranteed-hours ‘right to have’, shifting instead to a ‘right to request’, and reducing the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from two years to six months.

While the retail sector broadly supports the Bill’s aim of clamping down on unscrupulous labour practices, the BRC stresses this must not encumber responsible businesses.

Dickinson continued: “Retailers support the Employment Rights Bill’s goal of cracking down on unscrupulous employers who do not treat their employees fairly, but this must not come at the price of penalising responsible businesses. With unemployment now at 5 %, this Bill could mean it will be communities across the UK who will end up paying the price when fewer job opportunities are available.”

As the Bill advances through Parliament, the BRC’s intervention marks a clear attempt to influence the debate in the Lords, highlighting the delicate balance between strengthening employee rights and preserving employment opportunity across the retail sector.

Source: Grocery Gazette