The UK government has recently supported the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill proposed by Blackpool South MP Scott Benton. The bill aims to bring significant changes to tens of millions of workers across the country including agency workers.
The bill was introduced after a review revealed that many workers on zero hours contracts face “one-sided flexibility”, meaning they are left waiting, unable to plan their lives due to the uncertain work schedule. The new bill will give workers a guarantee of when they are required to work and the hours that fit their schedule.
If a worker's current working pattern is uncertain in terms of the hours they work, the times they work or if it is a fixed-term contract for less than 12 months, they can make a formal application to change their working pattern to make it more predictable.
Labour Markets Minister Kevin Hollinrake stated, “Hardworking staff on zero hours contracts across the country put their lives on hold to make themselves readily available for shifts that may never actually come. Employers having one-sided flexibility over their staff is unfair and unreasonable. This Bill will ensure workers can request more predictable working patterns where they want them, so they can get on with their daily lives.”
MP Scott Benton said, “A significant number of my constituents experience unpredictable work. Being able to ask their employers to consider requests for a more predictable working pattern such as working on set days, or for a permanent contract, will help them to work more predictable hours and provide more reliably for their families in some cases, and help with their work-life balance in other situations. This Bill gives people a right to ask their employers to consider requests and will be welcomed by thousands of people.”
The bill is part of a larger package of policies aimed at furthering workers' rights across the UK, including paid neonatal care leave for parents of babies who need neonatal additional care, requiring employers to pay workers in full for tips, gratuities, and service charges received, greater protection against redundancy for pregnant women and new parents, and a day one right to request flexible working. These policies aim to increase workforce participation, protect vulnerable workers, and level the playing field, ensuring that unscrupulous businesses don’t have an advantage.
The package will strengthen the flexible and dynamic labour market and give businesses the confidence to create jobs, invest in their workforce and generate long-term prosperity and economic growth.
In conclusion, the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill is a much-needed change that will bring a sense of certainty and stability to millions of workers across the UK, giving them the right to request a more predictable work schedule. This, along with the other policies aimed at furthering workers' rights, will go a long way in improving the lives of the country's workforce.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
