The announcement is a flagship policy of the new Labour government and is part of its Make Work Pay plan. The Employment Rights Bill, running to 158 pages, was announced in parliament on 10 October. No measures will be introduced until the Bill is passed, despite the government stating that some of the changes would be 'immediate'. Some of the more complex changes such as nine-month mandatory probation periods will take up to two years.

The Bill will be debated in the Commons at a second reading on 21 October before going to the House of Lords.