The Queen's Speech on 14 October 2019 confirmed that the government intends to introduce further employment legislation in the next Parliamentary session. In particular, the government announced:

  • A Bill to oblige employers to pass on tips to workers in full, and distribute them on a fair and transparent basis;
  • An intention to continue to deliver on the commitments set out in the Good Work plan;
  • Action to increase fairness and flexibility by stopping employers and workers "experiencing significantly different outcomes" from flexible working;
  • Improved enforcement action;
  • Support for working families and increased workplace participation for all; and
  • A significant increase in the national minimum wage, and extension of the "national living wage" to 21-24 year olds, over the next five years

At this stage there is no detail about how these commitments will be implemented. Whether they are implemented at all will depend on whether the UK has an early general election. However, on the basis of the Queen's Speech, it appears that if there is a general election in the coming months, changes to employment law would be significantly more extensive under a future Labour government than a future Conservative one.

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