The Gig Economy - May Pressed To Hit Bogus Deals

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• The Gig Economy - May Pressed To Hit Bogus Deals

23 November 2017 | Updated 01 January 1970

The Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees have published a joint report and draft Bill to close the loopholes that allow companies to use bogus self-employment status as a route to cheap labour and tax avoidance, saying the law must not allow willingness to exploit workers to be a competitive advantage.

To read the report summary - Click Here

Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: "The two Committees are presenting the Prime Minister with an opportunity to fulfil the promise she made on the steps of Downing Street on her first day in office, with a draft Bill that would end the mass exploitation of ordinary, hard-working people in the gig economy. The Bill would put good business on a level playing field, not being undercut by bad business.

"It is time to close the loopholes that allow irresponsible companies to underpay workers, avoid taxes and free ride on our welfare system."

New laws and tougher enforcement needed to protect workers

Rachel Reeves MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said: "Uber, Deliveroo and others like to bang the drum for the benefits of flexibility for their workforce but currently all the burden of this flexibility is picked up by taxpayers and workers. This must change.

"We say that companies should pay higher wages when they are asking people to work extra hours or on zero-hours contracts.

"Recent cases demonstrate a need for greater clarity in the law to protect workers. Responsible businesses deserve a level-playing field to compete, not a system which rewards unscrupulous businesses.

"We need new laws but also much tougher enforcement, to weed out those businesses seeking to exploit complex labour laws, and workers, for their competitive advantage."

Employment Status

The current situation puts an unacceptable burden on workers to address poor practice through an expensive and risky court case while the companies themselves operate with relative impunity, says the report.

It is suggested that clarified legislation to protect the legitimately self-employed and a new presumption of 'worker by default' would require companies to provide basic safety net standards of rights and benefits to their workers - or prove that their working practices are genuinely reflecting of self-employment.

Employment tribunals

The Committees also agreed that an obligation on employment tribunals to consider the increased use of higher, punitive fines and costs orders if an employer has already lost a similar case and enabling use of class actions in disputes over wages, status and working time, would reduce the chance and opportunity for employers to simply 'wait and see' whether individuals are willing to risk pursuing their rights.

Minimum wage

On the subject of the Minimum wage, the report stressed that a flexible labour force can benefit workers, consumers and businesses – but it is not acceptable that the gig economy burden workers and taxpayers with the risks of this flexibility. "Workers should not be faced with a choice between not working or working for below minimum wage. The Government should rule out introducing any legislation that would undermine the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage," said Rachel Reeves. "The loophole that enables agency workers to be paid less than permanent employees doing the same job must be closed. Companies should either guarantee hours that reflect the periods worked each week or compensate workers for uncertainty."

Enforcement

Frank Field said: "Currently, employers need only fear an inspection of their labour practices once every 500 years and receive only paltry fines if they are found to be breaking the law.  The enforcement bodies and the Director of Labour Market Enforcement urgently need more resources - paid for by a significant increase in fines for offending employers - to root out bad practice.

"Companies that flout the law, and those that tolerate exploitation in their supply chains, should be named and shamed. In the longer term, embargoing of goods from non-compliant businesses has potential as a very strong incentive for retailers to promote compliance in their supply chains. Enabling enforcement bodies to issue punitive fines for non-compliance would also help ensure that the risks of being caught outweigh the gains companies stand from illegal pay and practices."

Picture: The Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees have published a draft Bill to close the loopholes that allow companies to use bogus self-employment status as a route to cheap labour

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 23 November 2017

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