Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • 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
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • 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
  • OHW+

Zero hoursLatest NewsGig economyFlexible working

MPs urge ministers to speed up gig economy measures

by Ashleigh Webber 20 Apr 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 20 Apr 2018 Rachel Reeves, chair of the BEIS select committee
Photo: Richard Gardner/REX/Shutterstock
Rachel Reeves, chair of the BEIS select committee
Photo: Richard Gardner/REX/Shutterstock

MPs have accused the Government of being too slow to act on recommendations that would protect the rights of gig economy workers and people on zero-hour contracts.

In its response to a joint report from the Work and Pensions Committee and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) Committee – A Framework for Modern Employment – the Government said that more time was needed to develop the most suitable way to improve protections for workers on low pay or with vulnerable working arrangements.

Gig economy

Regulation and the gig economy: It is not just about worker status

Acas updates its guidance to reflect gig economy developments

Lack of action on gig economy criticised

It said the joint report gave it a good basis to work from, but admitted: “In some areas, the size, scale and extent of the problem of poor employer practices and exploitation requires us to gather more evidence and consult on the best way to implement the recommendations before finalising some of the detail”.

According to the Guardian, Work and Pensions committee chair and Labour MP Frank Field has suggested that the Government could introduce a short Bill to guarantee workers’ basic rights, following which further legislation could be developed.

Labour MP Rachel Reeves, who is chair of the Beis committee, said the Government needed to “turn words into action” by bringing forward new legislation to protect workers or “throw their support behind the draft Bill that our committees have proposed”.

The draft Bill, if passed into legislation, would introduce a “worker by default” status that would guarantee all workers basic rights such as sick pay and holiday pay.

Reeves said: “People in the everyday economy, from delivery drivers and warehouse workers to carers and retail staff, too often find themselves subject to levels of control and injustice from businesses who reap the benefits of this ultra-flexible business model without taking proper responsibility as employers.”

Also in its response to the committees’ joint report yesterday (Wednesday), the Government reminded the committees that it was consulting on a number of proposals including extending the right to a written statement to all workers, and extending the permitted break in continuous service to benefit atypical workers by allowing them to accrue employment rights over time.

“This demonstrates the intention to take action and a firm commitment to legislate in the future,” it added.

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.

In its Good Work Plan, published earlier this year in response to the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, the Government vowed to enforce workers’ rights from their first day at work – including the right to holiday and sick pay. All workers would also be able to request a more stable employment contract, and the Government would consider introducing higher minimum wage rates for workers on zero-hours contracts.

However, Reeves criticised the Government’s decision to consult on its plans and claimed that it was delaying “much needed” changes to how people work in the modern economy.

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Almost half of IT employees feel stressed out
next post
Apprenticeship starts fall by a quarter in six months

You may also like

Restaurant tips should be included in holiday pay

21 May 2025

Fewer workers would comply with a return-to-office mandate

21 May 2025

Redefining leadership: From competence to inclusion

21 May 2025

Pay awards in real terms could fall for...

21 May 2025

Ryanair demands flight attendants pay back salary increase

21 May 2025

Consultation launched after Supreme Court ‘sex’ ruling

20 May 2025

Uncertainty over law hampering legal use of medical...

20 May 2025

Black security manager awarded £360k after decade of...

20 May 2025

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

UK and EU agree to collaborate on ‘youth...

19 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...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
OHW+
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
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • 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
  • OHW+