Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds says government is pressing ahead with plans for new flexible working laws
The business secretary has defended Labour’s plans to introduce new flexible working laws, calling it “bizarre” that Jacob Rees-Mogg had launched a “war on people working from home”.
The comments by Jonathan Reynolds come as he and the communities secretary, Angela Rayner, attempt to thrash out the final details of the workers’ rights legislation in time for the employment bill that is expected to be introduced in the first fortnight of October.
One area of contention is day-one rights, which Labour intends to introduce to give people the right to sick leave, maternity pay and the right to sue for unfair dismissal from day one of their employment, rather than after a longer period.
Rayner is understood to believe that probation periods should still apply but should remain at the industry norm of three to six months. There are pressures from senior industry figures, however, to allow longer probation periods of up to a year. The issue is reportedly a source of tension between Rayner and Reynolds.
Reynolds said in an interview with the Times on Tuesday that he would press ahead with key changes to flexible working laws, which he said could reduce regional inequality and contribute to productivity. He said the minimum wage should also be increased in order to guarantee “a decent quality of life”.
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