Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Employment lawEmployment contracts

Majority of public reject Government’s ‘owner-employee’ proposal

by Laura Chamberlain 11 Oct 2012
by Laura Chamberlain 11 Oct 2012

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of people think the Government’s proposal to allow employers to offer staff tax-free shares for the removal of some employment rights is a bad idea.

This is according to a YouGov poll carried out in response to Chancellor George Osborne’s unveiling of the so-called “owner-employee” contracts at the Conservative Party Conference earlier this week, where he referred to them as a “voluntary three-way deal” between workers, employers and the tax man.

The plans were met with criticism from employment lawyers and employee groups, who said they would be unpopular with workers and employers alike. Today’s YouGov poll seems to support this view.

Just 20% of the 1,899 UK adults surveyed by YouGov said that they thought “owner-employee” contracts were a good idea, compared with 63% who were against the proposal.

Unsurprisingly, respondents who intended to vote for the Conservatives in the next election were the most likely to back the contracts, with 37% of those respondents in favour. However, 46% of Conservative supporters did say they were against the proposal.

Laurence Janata-Lipinski, political research manager at YouGov, said: “George Osborne is clearly trying to present an idea that strikes a balance by enabling employers to fire people more easily, while at the same time offering employees considerable benefits for giving up some of their rights.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“However, the public opposition to this proposal would indicate that the Chancellor has a considerable amount of work to do to convince people that this is a good idea.”

Full details of the proposed “owner-employee” contract are available on XpertHR.

Laura Chamberlain

previous post
Graduate employment ‘better than feared’
next post
A quarter of bosses have ‘destructive’ leadership style

You may also like

New ‘failure to prevent fraud’ law a ‘game-changer’

2 Sep 2025

Business confidence grows to post-Budget peak

1 Sep 2025

Decision to sack man for Michael Jackson noises...

29 Aug 2025

P&O Ferries boss who steered 800 sackings steps...

29 Aug 2025

Council clerk sacked after trying to ensure his...

29 Aug 2025

Day one rights in the Employment Rights Bill...

28 Aug 2025

EHRC acts on policies flouting law on single-sex...

28 Aug 2025

Acas to explore use of AI as half...

27 Aug 2025

Royal Mail eCourier drivers bring legal claim over...

26 Aug 2025

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

22 Aug 2025

  • Work smart – stay well: Avoid unnecessary pain with centred ergonomics SPONSORED | If you often notice...Read more
  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise