Millions Of Workers To Receive New Employment Rights From First Day In A Job

The Government has today responded to last year's Taylor Report into working practices.

Published in July by Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts, the independent review concentrated particularly on the so-called gig economy of part-time and flexible workers.

The government says that nearly all the recommendations of the Taylor review will be adopted, adding that it will be going further by enforcing holiday and sick pay entitlements, giving all workers the right to demand a payslips and allowing flexible workers to demand more stable contracts.

Ministers are also asking the Low Pay Commission to consider a higher minimum wage for workers on zero-hour contracts and says it may also repeal laws that allow agencies to employ workers on cheaper rates.

Commenting on the Government’s response, Matthew Taylor said: "I welcome the range of specific commitments to improve the protections and rights of workers and to enforce those rights more strongly.  On important issues, including pay for variable hours workers, employment status and representation of workers I welcome the direction indicated today, but there is more work to be done to encourage the Government to be bold in living up to its commitment to good work for all." 

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: "The Taylor Review said that the current approach to employment is successful but that we should build on that success, in preparing for future opportunities. We want to embrace new ways of working, and to do so we will be one of the first countries to prepare our employment rules to reflect the new challenges."

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady added: "The government has taken a baby step - when it needed to take a giant leap.  These plans won't stop the hire and fire culture of zero-hours contracts or sham self-employment. And they will still leave 1.8 million workers excluded from key protections.”

A consultation will be launched to identify whether new laws are needed to simplify the status of workers (i.e. if someone is an employee, worker or self-employed), an issue which has led to a series of Employment Tribunal cases in recent years