The Good Jobs Bill: What It Means for Recruiters in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Government signalled its intent to modernise employment law a year ago, in July 2024, when then Economy Minister Conor Murphy launched the consultation on the Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill. The Bill is designed to support the Executive’s broader economic aims: creating high-quality jobs, boosting regional productivity, and delivering a just transition to net zero. The REC recently attended a briefing facilitated by the CBI, where Government officials provided an update on the Bill’s progress and forthcoming implementation plans.

Last year’s consultation attracted a wide range of responses. While there was broad agreement on the need for greater transparency in employment terms, more contentious issues also emerged. Trade unions called for stronger protections around agency work and fire and rehire practices, while employer groups raised concerns about overregulation and a potential loss of flexibility. The Government maintains that the final proposals strike a careful balance between these competing interests.

In April 2025, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald published The Way Forward, the Government’s formal response to the consultation. The paper sets out around 50 proposed reforms. Many will require new primary legislation, while others can be implemented through secondary legislation or updates to existing guidance and codes of practice. The core Employment Rights Bill, also known as the Good Work Bill, is expected to be introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly in early 2026, with some measures potentially coming into force sooner.

What Makes a Good Job

At the heart of the Good Jobs Bill are four core themes that the Government is using to define what they constitute as a “good job”:

1. Terms of Employment: Tackling so-called exploitative practices such as zero hours contracts, clarifying employment status, restricting fire and rehire, and strengthening redundancy notification.

2. Pay and Benefits: Including reforms to tipping and payslip transparency, improvements to holiday pay, and the introduction of a new right to disconnect.
3. Voice and Representation: Enhancing access for unions, introducing digital balloting, and strengthening whistleblowing and consultation rights.
4. Work Life Balance: Delivering day one flexible working rights, new entitlements to carers’ leave and neonatal care leave, and improved protections for parents.

Aligning with Great Britain but with distinct differences

The proposals broadly mirror the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill, ensuring consistency across the UK in areas such as holiday pay, tipping practices, flexible working rights, and leave for unpaid carers.

However, there are important differences. In Great Britain, employers must offer a guaranteed hours contract once a predictable work pattern has been established. In contrast, the Northern Ireland Bill gives workers the right to request such a contract. Rather than banning zero hours contracts altogether, the Bill introduces minimum notice periods and cancellation pay to limit misuse while keeping flexibility. This approach reflects what the REC has long called for in the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill, a fairer, more balanced system that respects the needs of both workers and businesses.

What happens next

Legislative drafting will continue through 2025 alongside further engagement with business, trade unions, and other stakeholders. The Bill is due to be introduced in the Northern Ireland Assembly in January 2026, with a phased implementation timetable designed to give employers time to adapt.

The REC will continue to engage with officials and partners to ensure the recruitment sector’s voice is heard throughout the legislative process.

If members have any questions or want to find out more, please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing campaigns@rec.uk.com