DR UK comments on the government response to the Taylor review

Mon,12 February 2018
News Education

In July 2017, Good work: the Taylor review of modern working practices was published, which included 53 recommendations.

The review considered a range of issues, including the implications of new forms of work, the rise of digital platforms and the impact of new working models on employee and worker rights, responsibilities, freedoms and obligations.

The government’s response to the review includes a plan of action for taking forward the recommendations, together with 4 consultations on key areas covered by the review

Commenting on the government’s response DR UK policy manager Philip Connolly said:

“The recommendations were not in the main specific to disability except for the right to return to work following one year of absence and some changes to statutory sick pay (SSP), although improvements in health and well-being at work are clearly related.

“There is no clear commitment to the one-year job retention (pages 59-60) but that this has been referred to Health at Work unit/Improving Lives for investigation.

“All the other recommendations are generally aligned at improving worker rights/job quality and so will benefit all employees and possibly slightly disproportionately benefit disabled employees (e.g. through the extension of flexible work, pages 42-43). However, enhancing equality appears only to be one of a number of intentions.

“Although they will impact on disabled workers, none of the consultations refer to an equality objective/remit.  Perhaps the most relevant are that of employment rights (where they ask about problems faced among particular groups of workers; there might also be some accessibility issues that could also be raised under the enforcement process/provision of information) and transparency (where there is reference to e.g. to breaks in continuous service which might be more relevant for disabled employees).”