placeholder
Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

REC welcomes the government’s response to Taylor review

In today’s response to the Matthew Taylor review of modern working practices, the government has announced that there will be four consultations into what the future of the UK workforce looks like.

Commenting, REC chief executive Kevin Green says:

“The way we work is undergoing drastic changes and it’s high time that regulations around the gig economy are aligned with other flexible workers. We therefore welcome the news that the government has decided to further consult with businesses on the future of the UK workforce.

“We are very pleased to see that the government is working towards more consistency and transparency around the rights and status of people working in the gig economy. This is something that is much needed to level the playing field so gig workers get the same rights as agency workers receive, such as holiday and sick pay.

“It was disappointing that there was no decision around improving the Apprenticeship Levy by turning it into a broader training levy as this could immediately benefit millions of workers and would help address the country’s skills shortages.

“We still need more clarity on some of the points raised, including the definition of zero-hour contracts and if agency workers are included. We also need to know when exactly people are eligible to request a contract and if additional paperwork around this will mean more bureaucracy and therefore a greater burden. In addition, the government’s reform plans should not apply only to Swedish Derogation but instead should open up all parts of the Agency Workers Regulations for review.

“We are looking forward to represent our members and the recruitment industry in the consultation process and deploy our expertise around flexible working to ensure the UK’s labour market remains a success story.”

www.rec.uk.com