Millions of flexible workers in the UK would see new rights and extra protections if they lose out on work under proposed government reforms.

The proposed reforms are part of the government’s latest measures to advance its ‘Good work plan’.

The government will consult on proposed new measures for flexible workers, including compensation for workers when shifts are cancelled at short notice, entitlement to a reasonable period of notice for their allocated shifts, and additional protections for individuals who are penalised if they do not accept shifts last minute.

Business Secretary Greg Clark commented, “Innovative entrepreneurs and new business models have opened up a whole new world of working patterns and opportunities, providing people with freedom to decide when and where they work that best suits them. It’s vital that workers’ rights keep pace with these changes, reflect the modern working environment and tackle the small number of firms that do not treat their staff fairly.”

Following recommendations from the Taylor review to examine worker flexibility, the Low Pay Commission found that nearly 40% of UK workers say that their hours can vary from week-to-week, with approximately 1.7 million individuals feeling anxious that their working hours could change unexpectedly.

“The government’s proposed reforms will allow flexible workers to retain their autonomy that suits them, while allowing businesses to continue using them to cope with peaks in demand,” the government stated.

Low Pay Commission Chair Bryan Sanderson, commented, “Last year we looked at the data on one-sided flexibility and talked to workers and businesses across the UK. Our report, published in December, found that shift cancellations and short notice of work schedules were significant problems, especially for low-paid workers. The proposed changes, part of a package of policies we suggested, have the potential to improve work and life for hundreds of thousands of people.

The proposed measures followed the government’s announced proposals to create a single labour market enforcement body, which will have the powers to enforce minimum wage and holiday payments.