After the government’s recent review of zero hours contracts it now intends to examine employers’ rights in order to simplify and clarify the current various employment statuses (worker, employee, self-employed) each of which confers different levels of protection. The results of the government review should be known before the start of 2015. The Minister responsible for the project does not exclude combining the rights of ‘workers’ and those of ‘employees’.
This overhaul aims to “help clarify and potentially strengthen the employment status of workers”. These “workers should not be finding out that they are not protected by law once they get to employment tribunal”, insisted Business Secretary Vince Cable at the beginning of October. “We need a system that is fair, simple and transparent – an environment where businesses feel more confident knowing what type of contracts to hire staff on and where individuals know their rights and have the security they deserve.”
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