Reforming employment status and strengthening rights
The work of clarifying employment status must return as a government priority if the rights of workers are to be protected
As early as 2017, the Taylor Review had identified the need to clarify and simplify employment status. And though this was stated a priority by the UK Government in 2019, little progress had been made.
Understandably, urgent attention had been focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. But the precarious situation of many in low-paid work, of whatever status, as well as the risks of losing employment rights through deliberate or mistaken misclassification, mean there is a pressing need to put this back on the agenda.
Informed by a series of interviews and group discussions with HR directors, employment policy experts, employment lawyers and HR advisers, this discussion paper 'Reforming employment status: building a stronger foundation for employment rights', works through the issues associated with employment status and assesses the viable methods of simplification and reform on offer.
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