On 30th March 2006 the DTI stated its employment policy priority for this Parliament would be to protect vulnerable workers. These are workers working in environments where the risk of being denied employment rights is high, such as casual or agency workers.

Although the policy statement concentrates on policy, rather than concrete issues, the Trade and Industry Secretary, Alan Johnson, highlighted some key issues that may result in new employment legislation. In particular, key policies would:

  • fulfil the Government’s commitment to make time equivalent to bank holidays additional to annual holiday entitlement under the Working Time Regulations. Many vulnerable workers currently have no choice but to use their existing four weeks entitlement if they wish to take a day’s leave on a bank holiday; so basic legal entitlement will be four weeks plus the eight public holidays.
  • identify ways to simplify employment law by reviewing discrimination law, redundancy payments and dispute resolution procedures;
  • ensure employees have better awareness of their employment rights through interactive information on the DTI website and improvements to telephone help lines. Please click here for a link to the DTI policy statement.
  • adding pensions to the list of matters that compulsorily recognises trade unions will be entitled to bargain about.

As part of its research, the Government has also carried out a review of employment status in relation to statutory employment rights. The review considered the scope of certain statutory employment rights and sought views on the effects of and justification for extending their coverage. The Government has decided that the status quo will be maintained and we do not expect major changes.

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The original publication date for this article was 20/04/2006.