Published on 17th December, The Good Work Plan has been announced by the Government, as “one of the biggest packages of work place reforms for over 20 years”. This plan builds on the response that was provided by government in February 2018, and includes the progress of the issues raised in the consultations. The Government breaks down its strategy into three main themes 1. Fair and decent work, 2. Clarity from employers and workers and 3. Fairer enforcement.
Included in the headlines are:-
- Requesting more stable regular contracts for workers;
- Easier for casual staff to establish continuing employment;
- Banning deductions from staff tips;
- Employment status test to be refined and an online employment status tool to be developed;
- An improved written statement of terms for all workers (which was previously employees);
- Changing the rules for calculating a week’s pay variable hours worked from a twelve week reference period to fifty two weeks;
- Naming employers who fail to pay Tribunal awards;
- Increasing penalty for aggravated employment breach, from £5,000 to £20,000; and
- Extending any permissible gap in employment to four weeks, while maintaining continuity of employment.
The new legislation in relation to most of these new rules won’t take effect until 6 April 2020.
Should you wish to obtain any further information regarding the new legislation, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us to speak to one of our employment specialists.
