Statement from Working Families on the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill
Published: 23 Feb 2023
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.
As an organisation that advocates for the removal of the barriers that parents and carers face in the workplace, we are particularly concerned about the status of the following laws, given their direct and indirect impact upon people with caring responsibilities, who are more likely to be atypical workers, particularly the most disadvantaged:
- 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
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.
The current lack of clarity around the future of these employment rights also has the potential to hurt businesses. We know that many employers in the UK, including our employer members, have welcomed recent moves to enhance the rights of working people—notably through their support of legislative changes that will introduce neonatal leave, carers’ leave, and make flexible working a day-one right. The uncertainty around whether fundamental and longstanding employment rights are at risk will create significant operational burdens for employers.
Working people and employers across the UK have a right to understand the full impact of this Bill, so we are 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.”