Employment law changes and what cleaning businesses need to know
You’re already navigating rising costs, more complex contracts, recruitment challenges, and high client expectations. Add to that the biggest UK employment law overhaul in a generation… it’s not an easy time for cleaning businesses.
The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) is expected to become law before the end of the year, with changes rolling out in stages over the next two years. For you, these reforms will impact pay, recruitment, workforce planning, shift patterns, and dismissals.
Here’s what you need to know and how our corporate member, Citation can help you stay compliant while you focus on growing your business.
What’s changing and why it matters for cleaning businesses
Day-one (now six month) unfair dismissal rights
The government has confirmed it won’t introduce full day-one unfair dismissal rights. Instead of the current two-year wait, employees will gain the right to claim unfair dismissal after six months’ service.
What this means for you:
- Improve your probation processes and documentation
- Train your managers to handle performance concerns early
- Update your contracts and handbooks
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from day one
Employees will be entitled to SSP from day one and there’ll be no minimum earnings threshold. If you have part-time or seasonal staff, costs could increase.
What you’ll need:
- Robust absence reporting processes
- Clear policies to prevent misuse
- Accurate records to avoid underpayment
Zero hours contracts reforms
The ERB will introduce a right to be offered a guaranteed hours contract for zero and low hours workers once they’ve worked a consistent pattern for a set period (expected to be 12 weeks), ending exploitative zero-hours arrangements. And you’ll have a duty to give reasonable notice for shifts, shift changes or cancellations, or face compensation.
Why this matters:
Cleaning workloads can fluctuate due to client demand, seasonal contracts, and emergency cleans. You need to look at your workforce planning and forecasting to make sure you’re covered.
The Fair Work Agency (FWA)
A major shift in managing employment rights is the introduction of the FWA. It’ll bring enforcement under one roof with stronger powers and the ability to carry out inspections. The FWA will also be able to bring tribunal claims on behalf of workers, even if they don’t.
What this means for you:
- Check your HR and payroll systems
- Make sure you track start dates and absences
- Avoid claims by staying compliant
What’s changing and why it matters for cleaning businesses
Cleaning businesses already contend with:
- High staff turnover
- Competition for local labour
- Increasing pay expectations
- Contract margins with little room for error
And the ERB may intensify these challenges.
Guaranteed hours, stronger sick pay rights, and extended unfair dismissal protections all increase employment obligations. Combine these with ongoing cost-of-living pressures, this will likely push wages up across the sector meaning you need to switch up recruitment strategies and contract pricing.
You can also take it as a time to improve your processes and support retention efforts. When your team feel secure and respected at work, they’re more likely to engage and be loyal. It’s definitely something you can lean on to stay competitive.
How Citation can support BICSc members
Big changes like the ERB can be confusing, time-consuming and risky. Citation’s experts are here to take the pressure off. Their support keeps you compliant and up to date so you can focus on delivering high-quality services for clients.
With Citation, you get:
- 24/7 HR and Health & Safety advice – expert support when you need it most
- HR and Employment Law support – advice on everything from dismissals, grievances, disciplinaries, contracts, and policies
- Health & Safety support – risk assessments, COSHH guidance, accident reporting, and site visits
- Atlas – one, online hub to manage everything HR and Health & Safety
- And so much more.
As a BICSc partner, you benefit from preferential member rates so it’s easier and more affordable to protect your business. Click here to find out more and don’t forget to quote ‘BICSc’ to access your discount.
Membership | Training | Standards
BICSc is the largest independent, professional, and educational body within the cleaning industry providing training and education, setting standards and procedures for cleaning. BICSc membership now stands at over 71,000 individual and corporate members in the UK and Internationally.
We are a membership organisation that strives to bring recognition of the vital role cleaning operatives play in everyone’s day-to-day life.
Whether you’re shopping, travelling, working, holidaying or recuperating, every one of these scenarios has cleaning staff striving to ensure that the environment is not only clean but also safe.
Founded over 60 years ago, BICSc key objective is to promote the value and professionalism of the cleaning industry, providing training in the key skills required to enhance a cleaning operative’s core role whilst keeping them safe and encouraging them to work in a more effective and efficient manner.
With a range of both practical and theoretical qualifications available, BICSc has something to help further the career of every cleaning professional from entry level, through to supervisor level, and up to an employer with your own business tendering for cleaning contracts.
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