2024 promises to be a busy year for UK employers with plenty of changes to adapt to and prepare for.

The post-Brexit employment law landscape continues to evolve, as new legislation has removed the special status of (pre-2021) EU law, and allows the Government to restate, revoke or replace EU law-derived regulations. Some EU law-based holiday and discrimination rights have become UK statutory rights that workers can more easily rely on. There will be greater scope to challenge ECJ case rulings in the courts, meaning more complex and costly employment litigation, but perhaps also opportunities to question more burdensome points of EU law.

Holiday and family-friendly policies will need updating before the Spring to address new holiday accrual rules for irregular and part-year workers, statutory paternity leave changes, the new right to unpaid carer’s leave, extended redundancy protection for mothers and new parents, and changes to the flexible working regime.

There is lots more in the pipeline, including a new worker right to request a more predictable working pattern, a new employer duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, final PRA/FCA policy statements on diversity and inclusion, and legislation to limit non-competes. With a General Election likely to precipitate other workplace reforms, 2024 looks set to be keeping everyone on their toes.

To help you keep up, we have put together our usual timeline of key dates for the next six months.