UK: Government responds to the Taylor Report

From confronting the challenges of the gig economy and modern ways of working, to enhancing employment protections and ensuring vulnerable workers receive their basic workplace rights, the UK government has set out in its ‘Good Work’ Report, the steps it plans to take to ensure all work in the UK economy is “fair and decent, with the realistic scope for development and fulfilment”.

The proposals include providing all workers with “day-one” rights, extending the qualifying period for continuous service, introducing harsher penalties for employers that fail to comply with employment legislation, and introducing an online tool to help workers determine their employment status.

The government considers many of the proposals need further consultation, so it has launched four separate consultations: employment status; the enforcement of employment rights; agency workers; and measures to increase transparency in the UK labour market.

Draft legislation has been published fulfilling some of their commitments, including the right to itemised payslips for all workers and requiring payslips to show the number of hours being paid for workers paid by the hour.