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Louise Thomas
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Employees could get the right to a four-day working week under new laws being considered by Labour as part of their package for workers.
This would come in the form of “compressed hours” where an employee is allowed to work their regular hours over four days instead of five, according to reports.
Angela Rayner is understood to be spearheading Labour’s plan for workers, consulting with trade unions and businesses ahead of new legislation expected in the autumn.
Under current rules, workers have the right to request flexible working, but employers aren’t legally obliged to agree.
The new law would see this change, with all employers needing to offer flexible working from day one, except where it is “not reasonably feasible”.
This means workers could be able to request that their employers allow them to undertake their normal working hours over a four day period. However, the policy is more likely to be beneficial to office workers and those with regular hours. Employers in industries like hospitality or retail will be more likely to be able to argue that requests are not feasible.
Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith said of the reports: “We think that flexible working is actually good for productivity. So the four-day week that I know is on the front of quite a lot of newspapers today, what we’re actually talking about there is the type of flexible working that enables you to use compressed hours.”
Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: “This is a welcome move from the government which recognises that the future of work we are heading for is a four-day week for all.
“However, these proposals would only allow workers to compress their working hours rather than reduce them which we have found is key for improving work-life balance and also maintaining productivity.
“Compressing the same amount of hours into four-days rather than five can be an important first step on the road to a true four-day week but reducing overall working hours is crucial.”
Ahead of July’s election, the 4 Day Week Campaign called on political parties to back a reduction of the maximum working week from 48 hours to 32 by the end of the decade, with no loss of pay.
A study showed that the policy was popular among UK companies, with most that participated in a ground-breaking trial making the policy permanent. The trial, the largest ever of its kind, tested the new way of working in 61 companies, with 54 of them (89 per cent) still operating the policy a year later.
However, the Conservatives warn that the policy will negatively impact businesses and hit economic growth. Kevin Hollinrake, the Tory shadow business secretary, said: “Despite warning after warning from industry, Angela Rayner is pressing ahead with her French-style union laws that will make doing business more expensive in the UK.
“Labour must listen to businesses who are petrified about day one employment rights and bringing in the four-day week through the back door. It will be businesses and consumers who pay and growth that suffers if they don’t listen.”
However, ministers have insisted they have “no plans” to force businesses to accept a four-day working week.
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “Our Make Work Pay plan is designed around increasing productivity and creating the right conditions for businesses to support sustained economic growth. Many employers already provide good, family-friendly conditions for their workers because they know that doing so improves morale and retention.
“We are working in close partnership with business and civil society to find the balance between improving workers’ rights while supporting the brilliant businesses that pay people’s wages.”
Labour’s reported proposals come as part of their “New Deal for Working People” which promises a slate of new rights for workers. These include banning exploitative zero-hour contracts, ending “fire and rehire” practices, and giving workers the “right to switch off”.
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