Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Expand the Bill's definition of 'Access' to explicitly include a union's right to digital access.
Recommendation
More should be done to ensure that the new right of union access proposed in the Bill is protected against future changes to ways of working and the risk of non-compliance. We recommend that the Bill’s proposed definition of ‘Access’ should be expanded to make explicit mention of a union’s right of digital access. (Recommendation, Paragraph 59)
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation and has already amended the Employment Rights Bill to expand access rights to include digital access, also legislating against refusing physical access solely due to digital access, with further details to be outlined in secondary legislation after consultation.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government is committed to modernising working practices and moving away from a reliance on ad-hoc access arrangements. We recognise the importance of providing for a ‘digital’ right of access in addition to the physical access that the Bill provides. That is why at Report Stage in the House of Commons the Government amended the Employment Rights Bill to expand access rights, allowing for access agreements to include communication with workers other than by means of physical access into a workplace, such as by ‘digital’ means. To further strengthen this provision, we have also legislated to ensure that physical access cannot be refused solely on the basis that ‘digital’ access is permitted, and vice versa. Further details on what ‘digital’ access entails will be outlined in secondary legislation, following consultation.