Taylor review to call for rights and minimum wage guarantee for 'gig economy' workers
2 min read
Companies in the so-called “gig economy” would have to prove that workers can earn above the minimum wage, under proposals to be set out in a major government review.
A report by former Labour advisor Matthew Taylor will call for the creation of a new employment status of “dependent contractor” to protect casual workers who carry out jobs for firms like Uber and Deliveroo.
Those businesses would have to prove that those contractors were able to earn 20% more in an hour than the National Living Wage level, according to the BBC.
The contractors would be informed if they were trying to work at a time when the pay was likely to be lower than that rate.
Workers would also be able to ask for regular working patterns under the review’s recommendations, but the report does not endorse an outright ban on so-called “zero-hours” contracts.
According to the Sun, “dependent contractors” would also be able to build up benefits like sick leave, depending on how long they have been working for one of the companies.
The report, which will be launched formally tomorrow, is expected to make other recommendations on issues like employee representation in the boardroom and the difference in tax burden on those with self-employed status.
Speaking to the paper, Mr Taylor said: “Our top ambition is for all work to be fair and decent, and people who want to develop their skills to be able to.
“Workers should be treated like human beings, not cogs in a machine.
“Every few years as patterns of work changes, we have to refresh the law to represent that.
“We can do better providing people with satisfaction.”
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