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The Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill represents the most substantial reform to employment law in Northern Ireland in decades. Although the Good Jobs Bill is still in development, with draft legislation yet to be published, the proposals - built around four core themes of terms of employment, pay and benefits, voice and representation and work‑life balance - provide a clear indication of what changes businesses can expect in the coming years.
Zero‑hours and low‑hours contract reform
A core tenet of the Good Jobs Bill is the curbing of exploitative practices by giving workers the right to request banded‑hours contracts after a qualifying period (yet to be confirmed), allowing their contractual hours to reflect actual working patterns. Employers will also be required to provide reasonable notice of shifts and compensation for cancelled shifts, allowing greater predictability for workers and reducing last‑minute scheduling changes. Exclusivity clauses in low‑hours contracts will also be banned where earnings fall below the lower earnings limit.
Work‑life balance and new leave rights
The Good Jobs proposals include the introduction of a right to disconnect, giving workers protection from out‑of‑hours digital intrusion. Additionally, new family‑friendly rights - including neonatal leave and pay, increasingly flexibility with paternity leave, and one week of unpaid carer’s leave - are expected to be introduced, providing enhanced support to parents of newborn children and those with dependants.
Separately from the Good Jobs Bill, Northern Ireland will also become the first devolved nation within the United Kingdom to introduce a statutory day-one right to two weeks of paid miscarriage leave on 6 April 2026.
Expanding written particulars
At present, a written statement of particulars must be given to employees within two months from the first day of employment. The Good Jobs Bill proposes expanding the right to a written statement of particulars, making it a day‑one entitlement and extending it beyond employees to include workers. Employers will need to ensure that all necessary contractual information is available at the outset of engagement to remain compliant.
Trade Union access and recognition
Trade union access and recognition rights are expected to expand under the Good Jobs Bill, with proposals lowering the employee threshold for statutory recognition from 21 to ten, and enabling unions to seek enhanced digital access to workplaces. The lower threshold means that smaller businesses may experience unionisation for the first time, and union involvement may increase.
Holiday pay
Holiday pay has been a topical issue in Northern Ireland due to the Supreme Court’s decision in the well-publicised Agnew case. The Good Jobs Bill intends to adopt a 52‑week reference period for calculating holiday pay, aligning Northern Ireland’s approach with Great Britain’s. The likely practical effect of this is that, since the 52‑week period captures seasonal peaks and consistent overtime patterns, many employees will receive higher holiday pay than under the old 12‑week reference period.
Statutory sick pay reforms
Separately, the UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025 makes two major changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) which apply to Northern Ireland: the removal of the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period for SSP. Employers will now be obliged to pay SSP from day one of absence regardless of earnings level, and it is thought that this change will be felt particularly by sectors which are reliant on part‑time or low‑paid workers.
Conclusion
The Good Jobs Bill signals a major shift towards regulated and worker‑focused employment practices in Northern Ireland. With increased employee protections and further duties imposed on employers, proactive compliance planning is essential to minimise risk and exposure.
For more information, please contact Gareth Walls, Partner, Chris Lenaghan, Associate, Niall O’Hare, Solicitor or your usual ALG Team Contact
Date published: 10 February 2026
