Government to create new workers’ watchdog

Responsibility for tackling modern slavery, enforcing the minimum wage and protecting agency workers will be brought under one body to create a ‘comprehensive new authority’ according to the Government announcement.   

As well as enforcing the existing powers of the three separate agencies, the new body will be able to ensure vulnerable workers get the holiday pay and statutory sick pay they are entitled to without those workers having to resort to making an employment tribunal claim.

Quite why the Government announced this in June is unclear since primary legislation will be required to establish this new enforcement body. We’re assuming that the ‘primary legislation’ referred to is the Employment Bill which was not mentioned at all in the Queen’s Speech last month so it’s anyone’s guess when we’ll see it get through Parliament!