taylor review Articles

New enforcement body to protect workers

The government has committed to creating a new enforcement body to uphold vulnerable workers’ employment rights as part of the ‘Good Work Plan’.

Several existing organisations will be brought together for the new, single workers rights body. It will also be given new powers to deliver more effective protection for flexible workers, such as those working through umbrella companies.

taylor review, umbrella, Theresa May, employment rights, contracting, worker's rights, self-employment,

The review was commissioned last year by Theresa May to investigate modern employment practices after reports of some workers earning as little as £2.50 an hour through self-employment, which affords none of the protections than a normal employee receives.

In order to reduce costs in competitive marketplaces many companies have taken on workers but classed them as “self-employed” meaning they save money on national insurance and the worker is put at a disadvantage by missing out on a number of standard employment rights.

The current system of taking an “employer” to a tribunal to prove that they are in fact an employer and should be treating their employees with a more significant duty of care is both costly and time consuming. It is unlikely many workers will want to bite the hand that feeds it so they are trapped in a situation that means longer hours for less pay.

Employers Should Prepare for Good Work Plan Legislation

Buried deep in the Queen’s Speech, one of the government’s policy proposals is likely to have significant consequences for employers, workers and freelancers.

Speaking through the Queen, the Government stopped short of making firm employment law policy commitments, but it did affirm that it would “continue to deliver on the commitments set out in the Good Work Plan”.