The BRC provided a detailed overview of our key positions and concerns, particularly highlighting:
1) Retailers support for the overarching aims of the Bill.
2) The objective of cracking down on unscrupulous employers.
3) The new context, with rapidly rising employment (and wider) costs.
4) The areas of the Bill which have the greatest potential for unintended consequences:
a. Treatment of Guaranteed Hours
b. Approach to dismissal and re-engagement
c. Trade Union and industrial action
d. Status of probation periods
e. Treatment of shift changes
Lord Sharpe and Lord Hunt were grateful for the briefings that had been provided by the BRC and noted that they had tabled relevant amendments in relation to the priorities which had been identified. They asked for greater detail in relation to key areas of member concern and the unintended consequences which would arise in relation to workforce flexibility and wider issues.
We also discussed the BRC’s survey of HR Directors looking at their attitudes to the Employment Rights Bill. Lord Sharpe and Lord Hunt were very interested in the work that the BRC had done to analyse and promote the survey findings.
We agreed to remain in contact during the continued progress of the Bill through the House.
