Those working in the road transport sector will be able to get statutory sick pay from the first day they are ill and claim unpaid parental leave from day one, in new plans aimed at revamping workers’ rights, reports Peter Brown.
A majority of the planned changes will not take effect for two years following a period of consultation.
The areas looking to be overhauled include:
- moving statutory sick pay (SSP) eligibility from day one instead of day four;
- lower the earnings limit for SSP as currently workers earning less than £123 per week cannot claim SSP;
- give fathers eligible for paternity leave from day one of employment instead of 26 weeks and allow unpaid parental leave from day one of employment instead of one year;
- make unpaid bereavement leave a ‘day one’ right for workers;
- and make employers consider any flexible working requests made from day one and say yes unless they can prove it is unreasonable.
