Working Families warns against scrapping EU laws protecting working families

A national charity for parents is urging the UK Government to confirm that laws protecting the rights of working parents and carers will remain in effect if the Revocation and Reform Bill is passed.

In advance of the committee stage of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive of Working Families, said: “Working Families is calling on the Government to confirm that laws protecting the rights of working parents and carers will remain in effect if the Revocation and Reform Bill is passed.”

The charity is particularly concerned about the status of laws with a direct and indirect impact on people with caring responsibilities, who are more likely to be atypical workers. These include:

• The Part Time Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000, and Fixed-Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002.
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which implements the health and safety requirements of the Pregnant Workers Directive (92/85/EEC) into UK law.
• Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations 1999
• Working Time Regulations 1998

Van Zyl said: “If these laws were revoked, it would throw the rights of millions of working people into jeopardy. It would have a devastating impact on the most marginalised workers, such as those on low income and in insecure work.”

She said the current lack of clarity around the future of these employment rights also has the potential to hurt businesses. Working Families is also calling on the Government to commit to extending the current date of the sunset clause to allow sufficient time for scrutiny of the legislation that is at risk of being removed, and to commit to working parents and carers having the same or better rights in future.

• Vote  
• 0
• 0
• You already voted!