The General Election is now less than a month away, and all of the main parties have published their manifestos in full. Here at Love Success, we’re going to be looking at what the main parties are proposing for the country over the next five years, with a focus on workers, employment, and how the new laws might affect PA and secretarial recruitment agencies, office support jobs, PA roles, and receptionist positions. We’ve already taken a look at what the Labour party is offering – next up are the Conservatives, who have a large poll lead and look set to remain in government.
The 11-point plan
Last week, Theresa May announced an 11-point plan to protect workers’ rights and introduce new ones. These include:
• The guarantee that workers will have the same rights after Brexit as they currently enjoy under EU rule.
• An increase in the National Living Wage until the end of parliament, with the figure expected to rise in line with median earnings every year until 2022.
• Protections for workers in the ‘gig’ economy, to prevent them from being exploited by employers.
• Workers on company boards.
• Allowing workers access to information on their company’s future (the same access as shareholders might receive).
• New rights to request leave: one for training, one for child bereavement leave, and one new statutory right to leave work for one year and care for a relative (unpaid).
• New pension protections (in the wake of the BHS scandal).
• An extension to the Equalities Act, which will now protect those with mental health conditions.
• The introduction of ‘returnships’, for women going back to work after having a child. (We’ll be talking about returnships on the blog later this month – watch out for that!)
Tribunal fees
Despite announcing the new plan to protect workers’ rights, there are no plans in the manifesto to abolish tribunal fees, which some experts have claimed will prevent the rights from being enforced.
Immigration Skills Charge
Businesses who wish to employ a skilled worker from outside the EU currently pay a charge of £1,000 – the Conservative manifesto proposes increasing this to £2,000 per employee.
National Productivity Investment Fund
The Conservatives will create an investment fund to boost the UK’s lagging productivity, with £250m in funding allocated to increasing skills by 2020.
Apprenticeships
The Conservatives have already introduced the Apprenticeship Levy, and in their manifesto their state that they remain committed to creating 3m apprenticeships for young people by 2020. The manifesto also promises discounted public transport for apprentices -to ensure that they’re not deterred from taking up an apprenticeship by the cost of travel.
So that’s what the Conservatives are proposing for workers and employers should they make it back into Number 10. We’ve already covered Labour’s manifesto, so next we’ll be looking at what the Liberal Democrats’ proposals are for the world of employment.
Keep following the Love Success blog for the latest updates, as well as the latest receptionist opportunities, London PA jobs, and temporary PA jobs!
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