Government Reforms (2):  Good Work Plan – One-Sided Flexibility 

What do we already know?

The Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices (‘the Taylor Review’), made detailed recommendations for reform of UK employment law.  For further detail on the background of this Review please see our updates here.

The Government’s response to the Taylor Review was the ‘Good Work’ plan in which it sets out its plans on taking forward the Taylor Review proposals.  For further detail on this response please see our February 2018 Newsletter Government reforms (2): Employment status – Government response to the Taylor review.

What’s new?

The Government has published a further Consultation as part of its Good Work Plan.

Good Work Plan: Consultation on measures to address one-sided flexibility (available here) proposes to introduce new rights for workers to be given reasonable notice of their working hours and to be compensated where their shifts are cancelled or curtailed without reasonable notice.

Views are sought on whether the new rights should be “day-one” rights, what “reasonable notice” should be in respect of both rights, the level of compensation, and whether rights should vary depending on type of work done or the industry in which the worker is employed. The consultation document also notes that the Government has previously committed to adopt the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation for workers to have a right to switch to a contract that reflects their normal working hours, with limited grounds on which an employer is entitled to refuse.

The Consultation closes on 11 October 2019.