Good Work Plan: legislative employment reform?
Following the publication of the Good Work Plan in December 2018, the UK Government has now established a programme to reform the labour market in its current form to address some of the major issues flagged up in responses to a number of consultations in October. The Queen’s speech last week expressed that the government would “take steps to make work fairer” and it was hinted that legislation to authorise the Good Work Plan reforms would be enacted.
The government has indicated that the three main focuses will include introducing a new single enforcement body for rights concerning employment, addressing one-sided flexibility and proposals to support families by requiring employers to publish details regarding their flexible working policies.
In relation to introducing a new single enforcement body for employment rights, the government intends that bodies such as the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EASI) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be amalgamated into one unified body to ensure that workers can enforce their rights effectively through a solidified legal framework. In doing so, the government wishes to deliver an extended state enforcement with a strong brand that provides better support for businesses in addition to coordinated enforcement action, pooled intelligence and closer working with other enforcement partners. The government also wishes to correct flexible working that only benefits the employer. Following the Low Pay Commission report on this, it was established that there needed to be a right to reasonable notice of work schedules, compensation for shift cancellation without reasonable notice and use of improved guidance codes of practice. In the modern age where flexible work is increasingly prevalent, further regulation is necessary to ensure a balance is kept. This drive towards protection for flexible work is also seen in the government’s initiative to introduce a statutory requirement ensuring that employers publish information regarding their pay, family-related leave and flexi work policies.
This initiative, if enacted through legislation, would address many of the current employment issues resulting from the modern-day flexi working that were highlighted in the Good Work Plan. Thus, the government commitment to the Good Work Plan may suggest that future governments too will continue to commit to promoting the rights of workers.
