Government papers: Good work plan: establishing a new single enforcement body for employment rights – consultation

The government is seeking views on options for establishing a single enforcement body to improve the enforcement of employment rights for workers and businesses, and to create a level playing field for those organisations that are complying with the law.

The consultation considers the case for a new single labour market enforcement body and whether it could deliver:

• extended state enforcement, delivering government commitments to enforce holiday pay for vulnerable workers and regulate umbrella companies operating in the agency worker market
• a strong, recognisable single brand so individuals know where to go for help
• better support for businesses to comply with the rules, including coordinated guidance and communications campaigns, and a more easily navigable and proportionate approach to enforcement
• coordinated enforcement action, with new powers and sanctions to tackle the spectrum of non-compliance, from minor breaches to forced labour and increased focus on high harm cases to disrupt serious, repeated offending
• pooled intelligence and more flexible resourcing targeted at tackling serious breaches
• closer working with other enforcement partners, including immigration enforcement, benefit fraud, health and safety, the Pensions Regulator and wider local authority enforcement.

This consultation closes 6 October 2019.