Our response to today’s publication of the Employment Rights Bill

Our CEO, Barry Fletcher, responds to the significant reforms to employment rights, unveiled in the Employment Rights Bill today.

“The Government’s commitment to improving employment rights is welcome. As the What Works Centre for youth employment, we will continue to provide evidence and insight to ensure helping marginalised young people to achieve good work is front of mind.

“We know that the proposals likely to most affect young people are:

• An increase to the minimum wage – including removing historic age differences;
• The introduction of ‘day one’ rights – including protection from unfair dismissal and;
• A ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts – with 1 in 8 , accessing work this way, compared to 1 in 50 for older workers.

“We are pleased the Government is working collaboratively with employers, unions and labour market experts to make sure the reforms boost workers’ rights while avoiding a reduction in hiring, which could negatively impact young people and increase our already high rates of youth unemployment and inactivity.  We look forward to working closely with Government to ensure more young people are in good work, including through the new Youth Guarantee.”

Read more about the announcement, here: Government unveils significant reforms to employment rights