The cost to councils of implementing new employment reforms must be matched by new funding or public money could be diverted from vital local services, the LGA has warned.
New worker protections – including day-one paternity leave and parental leave, new statutory sick-pay reforms, extra protection from unfair dismissal and a new right to bereavement leave – passed into law in December, potentially benefiting up to 15 million people.
More than two million people work in local government across the country, providing crucial services to communities and residents every day.
Cllr Pete Marland, Chair of the LGA’s Resources Committee, said: “It is crucial that local government is involved in the secondary legislation expected to follow the passing of the Employment Rights Act.
“Costs flowing from employment reforms must be matched by increased funding to councils for the reforms to be effective.
“Changes will affect directly employed staff, outsourced workers and the whole adult social care sector, where local government has a critical role in ensuring services are provided to the public but is proposed to have a very limited role in the new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.
“Local government needs to be engaged by government on how the act is implemented, otherwise the bureaucratic and legal burdens on councils will mean public money is diverted from vital local services.”