The UK Government is concerned about one-sided flexibility in the workplace. Following recommendations made in the Taylor Review and by the Low Pay Commission (LPC), it has launched a consultation to ascertain whether around 1.7 million workers without guaranteed hours should have more protection.
The LPC found misuse of flexible working arrangements by some employers, so has recommended that new laws be introduced. For workers, these include:
- ‘Reasonable notice’ of their work rotas
- Compensation, if shifts are cancelled or shortened without ‘reasonable notice’
Compensation could be set at three levels:
- The value of the shift/hours in question
- The worker’s appropriate National Minimum Wage rate multiplied by the scheduled number of hours cancelled
- A multiple of a worker’s appropriate NMW rate, e.g. three times the NMW
The Government also asks whether compensation should only apply to those workers below a certain income level, close to or on the minimum wage, or to those on specific contract types – such as zero-hour contracts.
The consultation closes on 11 October 2019 and employers who engage casual staff are advised to make their views known. Give your feedback here.
