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LONDON — British employees are set to gain a slew of employment benefits under flagship legislation put forward by the new Labour government on Thursday, including stronger rights to sick pay and an entitlement to take paternity leave from the first day in a job.

Key measures in the Employment Rights Bill include protection against unfair dismissal from the start of a new role — removing the current two-year qualifying period — and the introduction of a statutory probation period for all new hires. Additionally, it prescribes granting many workers on zero-hours contracts the right to a contract with guaranteed hours, as well as requiring companies to make flexible working the default, where possible.

Workers will also be eligible to take unpaid parental or bereavement leave from day one of a job, and to claim statutory sick pay from the first day when they are unwell, rather than the fourth. Pregnant women and new mothers will gain stronger protections against dismissal.

The government said it would also "shut down the loopholes that allow bullying fire and rehire and fire and replace to continue." "Fire and rehire" refers to the practice of firing an employee and rehiring them on new terms.

The bill's details were published by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office on Thursday and pend debate and approval in the U.K. parliament, as well as further consultation with businesses, meaning they are not expected to come into force for at least two years.

Starmer said on social platform X the reforms would be the "biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation."

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