Businesses urge more curbs to Labour’s French-style workers’ rights plans after ministers ‘drop right to switch off’ in blow for Angela Rayner_Nhy
Businesses are urging more curbs to Labour’s French-style employment reforms amid claims the ‘right to switch off’ will be ditched.
Plans to give staff explicit rights to ignore messages outside of working hours are expected to be dropped this week.
The apparent concession – after complaints that firms are already facing swathes of red tape and tax hikes – is a blow for Angela Rayner, who has championed the overhaul.
However, companies still want the government to go further by watering down other key planks of measures, such as slashing probation periods.
The proposal to grant workers a ‘right to switch off’ was originally included in Labour’s ‘new deal for working people’.
Similar proposals have been implemented in countries such as Belgium, Ireland, and France – which allow workers to avoid emails, texts and phone calls received out of hours without fear of reprisals.
The apparent concession – after complaints that firms are already facing swathes of red tape and tax hikes – is a blow for Angela Rayner (pictured), who has championed the overhaul
Rachel Reeves (pictured) is seeking to boost business confidence and economic growth after her tax-raiding budget in October triggered a slowdown
Supporters say the right would help Brits avoid their homes becoming ’24/7 offices’, after the pandemic drove a surge in remote working.
However, ministers are set to confirm the policy has been dropped when amendments are tabled to the Employment Rights Bill tomorrow.
The decision is said to have been taken by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Chancellor Rachel Reeves over concerns the provision would have been too much of a burden.
Ms Reeves is seeking to boost business confidence and economic growth after her tax-raiding budget in October triggered a slowdown.
The rights overhaul was rebranded as ‘Labour’s plan to make work pay’ in May, with a blanket commitment to ending zero-hours contracts downgraded to ending ‘exploitative’ contracts.
The government is expected to signal a preference to set probation periods at nine months rather than the six demanded by union leaders.
But Craig Beaumont, executive director of the Federation of Small Businesses, urged ministers to ‘listen to some of the disquiet they’ve heard’ and make more concessions.
Pointing to the probation period wrangling, he told The Times: ‘They should make it 12 months, because that’s what it was under the last Labour government.
‘That way you still increase workers’ rights, instead of a mish-mash, which no one knows how it will work.’
Mr Beaumont said a survey of FSB members had shown 92 per cent were worried about the impact of the Employment Rights Bill.
The decision is said to have been taken by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds (pictrued) and Ms Reeves over concerns the provision would have been too much of a burden
