The government has announced plans to introduce new workplace rights, which it says will end unfair employment practices and and help deliver economic growth.

The Employment Rights Bill will ban exploitative zero-hours contracts, end fire and rehire, introduce basic employment rights, like paternity and parental leave, and protection from unfair dismissal, and bring in the right to bereavement leave from day one.

The government says the bill will replace out-of-date employment laws, helping to boost pay and productivity with legislation fit for a modern economy, and is “the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation, and a significant step towards delivering this government’s plan to make work pay”.

The government has also said it is bringing in a new statutory probation period for companies’ new hires, which will allow for a proper assessment of an employee’s suitability for a role as well as reassuring employees that they have rights from day one.

The new bill and measures will aim to:

• Give protection against unfair dismissal from day one, while allowing employers to operate probation periods
• Establish parental and bereavement leave from day one
• End exploitative zero hour contracts
• End unscrupulous practices of fire and rehire and fire and replace
• Make flexible working the norm where practical
• Deliver stronger dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers
• Establish a new Fair Work Agency with new powers to enforce holiday pay
• Strengthen statutory sick pay

According to the government, the new laws will “end exploitative zero hours contracts and unscrupulous fire and rehire practices”. While workers will able to stay on zero hours contracts if they’d prefer to, the new bill means “they’ll have the right to a guaranteed hours contract if they work regular hours over a defined period”.

The bill will also introduce new measures to help make the workplace more compatible with people’s lives, including making flexible working the default where practical.

Large employers will be required to create action addressing gender equality, including supporting employees through the menopause, and protections against dismissal will be strengthened for pregnant workers and those returning from maternity leave.

Finally, the government says it will also establish a new Fair Work Agency, bringing together existing enforcement bodies to enforce rights such as holiday pay, and support employers looking for guidance on how to comply with the law.