LONDON (Reuters) -Britain will scale back plans to give employees protection against unfair dismissal from day one, reducing the qualifying period to six months instead of two years, the government said on Thursday.
The change follows talks with trade unions and business groups and removes the last major hurdle for the Employment Rights Bill to pass into law.
Ministers said the compromise was a “workable package” that would allow reforms to proceed on schedule, including day-one rights to sick pay and paternity leave from April 2026 and the launch of a Fair Work Agency.
Business groups had warned that day-one dismissal rights could deter hiring, while the bill has been a flagship pledge for Labour since last year’s election.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)