Economy minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald yesterday set out proposals to introduce a new Employment Bill supported by secondary legislation, statutory codes of practice and guidance.

The proposals — which will now be brought to the Executive for agreement — cover four main themes: terms of employment, pay and benefits, voice and representation, and work-life balance.

They include ending exploitative zero hours contracts, enhancing protections for agency workers, ending abuse of fire and rehire tactics, ensuring tips left to workers are passed on to them in full, modernising the trade union framework, making it easier to attain flexible working, and enhancing rights to family-related leave, including the introduction of carer’s leave, as well as neonatal leave and pay.

Dr Archibald said: “Everyone benefits from good jobs. Workers and families benefit from a decent wage. Employers benefit from a larger, more productive workforce. And the public finances will benefit from greater prosperity and a reduction in poverty.

“That is why creating good jobs is one of the key objectives in the Executive’s programme for government.”

She added: “These proposals provide a balanced approach which will ensure our employment law framework works effectively for both workers and employers in the modern era.

“This is an ambitious package of reforms to employment law which will see the biggest upgrade of our employment legislation since the Good Friday Agreement.”